Hearts of Darkness
by JG Chan
Summary: Metallia is gone, but the Dark Kingdom remains. As a new enemy plots to destroy the Senshi, figures from the past, both ancient and recent, resurface in the girls' lives. Thus begins a new battle, the first of many to come...
1. Ch1: Reawakened Memories

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :) 

AN: This series takes place after the first season, and is intended to replace the Doom Tree arc. It's the first part of a rather long set of series I've planned, based primarily on the anime but gradually diverging from and going beyond it. I'll also note now that this is a rewrite of a series I completed a good five years ago (and gods did it need rewriting). But anyhow, hope you enjoy this one.

Notations:

"..." indicates speech

'...' indicates thought

Italics indicates vision/dream sequence

* * *

**Hearts of Darkness**

Part 1: Reawakened Memories

by JG Chan

A biting gale howled across the barren arctic plains, driving snow before it in blinding flurries, slowly sculpting the landscape. Although the polar region was generally a cold, dry place, this particular area has been continuously wracked by storms for over a month now. In fact, the storms began not too long after five very special young girls came here to face their destiny.

As the stars watched silently from the lightening sky overhead, a form emerged from the chaotic elements. Snow started to pile up in certain places, hardening to ice as it grew in size, infused with a strange aura. The laws of gravity were suspended as the snow expanded and connected above a network of frozen walls, forming a single floor of a vast structure.

This strange phenomenon continued for many hours, as spires of white ascended like claws to rend the heavens. Finally, as the sun peeked over the horizon for the first time in six months, its light reflected off of the thousands of polished crystal surfaces of the new structure. Grander than any palace on Earth, it stood in massive, frigid glory, its bright walls drawing attention away from its jagged and spiked architecture.

At the heart of the newly-risen fortress, a tall, armoured figure sat upon a diamond throne, laughing in satisfaction. The chilling, cruel sound filled those cowering before him with terror. The regal figure rose to his full height. Standing eight feet tall, he glared at the ranks of his servants arrayed before him and began to speak. His voice was cold as the ice outside his palace, yet his eyes held passion burning like the fires of hell.

"Hear me, my warriors! Now the time has come for our dark kingdom to rise once more! This world WILL be mine, and nothing will stand in the way of our power! The Dark Kingdom WILL triumph!!"

As the army of creatures before him roared their approval, the new lord of the Dark Kingdom smiled with all the warmth of a corpse. "And to ensure our victory," he finished to himself, "I have a little present for those pretty little Sailor Senshi..."

* * *

"AAAAAAHH!! I'M GONNA BE LATE AGAIN!!" 

A young raven-haired miko looked up from her sweeping in surprise as a blonde, odango-wearing figure dashed past the Hikawa Shrine.

"There she goes again," Rei sighed. "It's the same thing every morning...wait, today's Sunday! Jeez, she must have been more asleep than usual."

Sure enough, a few minutes later, Rei saw the blonde girl trudging back the way she came, slumped over with a large sweatdrop over her head. The miko giggled quietly to herself. There was just something about that girl's antics that stirred a familiar warm feeling within her, though she couldn't tell what it was, exactly. She shrugged, and went back to her chores.

* * *

Back at the Tsukino home, two old friends were lying on the roof, enjoying the sun and chatting quietly. At the moment, Artemis was trying hard to hold back his amusement as Usagi dragged herself inside again, intent on returning to bed as soon as possible. Finally, as the door closed, he couldn't hold it in any longer and collapsed laughing. 

"That girl is getting more scatterbrained every day!" Luna groused, ignoring the white cat's laughter. She wasn't too happy about having been thrown off the bed this early on a Sunday. "When is she going to grow up?"

"C-calm down, Luna," Artemis replied, trying to follow his own advice. "She's only fourteen, after all. Let her enjoy her life. She certainly deserves it, after what she's been through."

"I guess you're right. Besides, I couldn't do anything anyway; she forgot all about the Sailor Senshi after that last battle."

"It's just as well. Hopefully, they'll get a few more weeks before we have to reawaken their memories..."

Luna looked sharply at her companion. "What do you mean by that?"

"You don't remember, Luna?" Artemis blinked. "The Dark Kingdom wasn't only Beryl and Metallia, you know." His face took on a grim expression. "There'll be more coming from that place, and none of it will be pleasant."

Luna sighed. 'Poor Usagi,' she thought. 'Soon you'll have to face the horrors of the Dark Kingdom again. I just hope we'll be able to pull through this one, too.'

* * *

Darkness reigned within the cells in the depths of the new Dark Kingdom fortress. Some of it was simply the absence of light, while an equal part was writhing, malevolent soulstuff, the shades of youmas and generals long gone. Over all of them hung the shadow of evil that pervaded the kingdom, even after Metallia's fall, drawing power from the anguish of lost souls. Any normal human even glimpsing this scene would go mad with fear. Indeed, it is for this reason that Beryl had used this place as a prison. 

At the back of the maze of dank corridors was a faint luminescence. Its source was a large block of crystal, securely chained to the wall and surrounded by an oppressive aura. All around it shadows flew, moaning and screeching. None of this, however, could penetrate the crystal, wherein a man rested, not quite at peace.

_He was walking slowly through a quiet garden. The flowers were in full bloom, carpeting the ground in rainbow colors. Behind him, a silver palace rose in all its glory, and faint sounds of revelry could be heard from inside. He smiled, slightly envious. Immediately upon their arrival, his charge had disappeared from sight, and he knew exactly what the boy was up to. It seemed like everyone around him had found love, and he was left behind,  
alone._

_'At least they're happy...' he thought, though he couldn't quite shake a sense of loneliness deep in his soul. Surely he deserved happiness, as well?_

_A soft sound interrupted his train of thought, and he unconsciously reached for his sword. 'Overtrained fool,' he chided himself, relaxing. 'No one could have penetrated the security of this place, not when so many important people were here.'_

_He followed the sound to a secluded spot in the garden, where a bench had been set up for couples to enjoy the view of Earth hanging like a jewel in the starry sky. The person sitting there at the moment, however, was alone and in no condition to enjoy the view._

_He listened to the soft sobbing for a few more moments before deciding to show himself. As he approached the bench, he thought there was something familiar about the blue-black mane of hair and red and black silk dress in front of him. His suspicions were confirmed when he got close enough to see the girl's tear-streaked face._

_"P-princess? What are you doing here?" he blurted out in surprise, then quickly bowed properly._

_"Hmm? Oh, it's you, Colonel." The princess quickly wiped at her tears, facing away from him. "I...just wanted to be alone for a while, that's all."_

_A flash of insight hit him. "Is it about that last battle?"_

_She nodded silently, eyes still averted. He could see the slight trembling of her shoulders as she tried to hold in her emotions. His sense of courtesy told him to excuse himself and leave the girl in peace, but instead he sat down next to her. She glanced up at him, startled._

_"He spoke of you often, you know..." he said softly, staring at the Earth. "Every time one of us talked to him long enough, he somehow managed to pull the conversation back to his Princess. It kept him grinning, even when things started to look bad..."_

_"R-really?" she asked, a strange catch in her voice. He frowned. Was that...guilt?_

_"Yeah..." he answered simply. Silence fell, turning awkward some moments later when he couldn't figure out what else to say. Glancing back at her, he suddenly noticed how closely together they were sitting, and jumped to his feet with a yelp._

_"I-I'm s-sorry, Your Highness!" He bowed deeply, not daring to look at her face. "I did not mean to be so forward. Please forgive me for my offense!"_

_The princess blinked at him, then smiled slightly. "Don't worry about it, Colonel. I know you meant well." Rising, she glanced at the palace. "Would you mind escorting me back inside? I could use a drink right now."_

_"Of course, Your Highness," he replied, still staring at his feet. His companion watched him speculatively for a moment, then linked her arm with his, forcing him to stand upright. The two exchanged a hesitant smile, then slowly made their way back._

Back in the hellish prison of the Dark Kingdom, the block of crystal glowed more brightly. If the shadows around it were sane at all, they would have noticed the tears that appeared in Jadeite's eyes, the first in many centuries.

* * *

"Game Over!" 

Usagi twitched slightly at the upbeat voice announcing yet another loss for her. Behind her, Motoki was gaping at the screen, not quite believing his eyes.

"Usagi-chan...did she just beat you perfect again?"

He received a dark look in response and quickly went back to the counter, while Usagi turned to her opponent, a young girl about her own age with long blonde hair tied with a red ribbon.

"Up for another match?" she asked a bit testily.

"Sure," the other girl replied, grinning, before flashing a V-for-Victory sign. "No one beats me at Sailor V games!"

"Hmmph, that's my line..." Usagi grumbled, searching her bag. It was Tuesday afternoon, and Usagi had come to the Crown Arcade as she often did, eager to try out the new Sailor V fighting game (and to forget the test Haruna-sensei had sprung on them). Unfortunately, she had found an unfamiliar girl already ensconced in the top rank, and try though she might,  
she couldn't get close to dislodging her.

After a few moments of searching, Usagi sweatdropped and deflated from defiance to dejection. "Looks like I'm out," she sighed, starting to turn away. "Might as well go home..."

"Huh? Hey, wait, wait!" The other girl quickly overtook her, and reached out to hold Usagi by the shoulders. "Come on, don't get so depressed, it's just a game." She grinned cheerfully. "And you did really good for your first time! Tell you what, why don't we get some ice cream? My treat."

The smaller girl perked up at the mention of ice cream. "Really?"

"Sure. Oh, my name is Aino Minako. Nice to meetcha!" She did a quick, half-serious bow which Usagi returned, giggling.

"Tsukino Usagi." She flashed a quick grin at Minako, before heading eagerly to the counter to get her treat. Minako was about to follow when a voice spoke from the booth next to her.

"You really should be careful when you offer Usagi-chan sweets, Aino-san."

Minako turned to see a green-eyed brunette smiling at her, and gave her a curious look.

"She sucks them down like a vacuum," the brunette explained, still smiling. "She ate an entire batch of cookies I baked, once, and still managed to scarf down her lunch."

"I'll keep that in mind. You can call me Minako, by the way. Are you two from the same school? Your uniforms are different..."

"The school didn't have anything in my size," the brunette replied, blushing slightly, before offering her hand. "I'm Kino Makoto. Nice to meet you."

Minako took the hand and shook it, as Usagi returned with a triple scoop of ice cream and began chatting with her friends. A sense of easy familiarity fell over the group, even though to their knowledge, they hadn't known each other for very long. Soon after, they exchanged phone numbers and went their own ways, promising to meet up again later.

Elsewhere in the game center, a man looked up from the game he had been ostensibly playing and stared after the departing girls, his shockingly black eyes narrowing in thought. He seemed to have come to some kind of conclusion a moment later, and headed to the back of the room, vanishing into the shadows. He had one more thing to do before heading back.

* * *

Rei knelt in front of the fire, her eyes closed. The room was silent save for the subdued crackling of the sacred flame, as it danced unresponsively before her. Though it was only mid-afternoon, the closed doors kept most of the room in shadows. She could faintly hear Phobos cawing at something outside. 

Sighing, she rose and stretched. She had been having strange dreams lately, dreams of herself crying in what appeared to be a palace garden, and speaking with a man. Each time the scene had brought out a strange sense of familiarity, like a memory, yet each time the man's face was blurred. Unable to figure them out, she had tried to divine an answer from the fire, but today had been her second failure.

'Though failure might not be accurate,' she thought to herself. 'I get this feeling that I should be waiting for something. Something important...'

Hearing familiar footsteps outside, she got up and slid the shoji open just as Yuuichirou was about to knock. His knuckles froze about two inches from Rei's nose, and she quirked an amused eyebrow at him. That was joined by a smirk when he eeped and jumped back, missing the edge of the walkway and ending up sprawled on the ground.

"Did you want to see me for something, Yuuichirou?" the miko asked almost playfully. The man on the ground blinked, trying to gather his wits, while Rei absently noted that she could actually see his eyes from this angle. Light blue ones.

"Uh," Yuuichirou replied after a second, "there's a customer out front who wants to buy an ema, and we're out. And the storeroom was locked, and your grandpa's out somewhere."

She frowned. "I thought you were supposed to bring more out this morning."

"Umm..."

"...Never mind. Come on." She turned away and walked towards the back of the shrine, a sheepish Yuuichirou in tow. A quick detour to get the spare keys from her room, and soon Yuuichirou was carrying a case of the wooden wish plaques back to the front. Rei followed, figuring she would apologize to their customer herself.

They reached the front area just outside the main shrine building where they usually had their gift stand. A girl about Rei's own age was waiting patiently, reading, and the miko approached her while Yuuichirou re-stocked the stand.

"Excuse me, miss. I'm Hino Rei, one of the caretakers of this shrine. I'm sorry about the trouble earlier, it was a mistake on our part not to have the ema ready."

The blue-haired girl smiled back. "Don't worry about it, Hino-san," she replied, eyes modestly downcast. Rei shook her head, though.

"In any case, I'd like to offer you the ema for free."

"Oh, no, I couldn't do that!"

"I said it's okay!" Rei giggled, took the blushing and protesting girl by the hand, and led her back to the stand. Handing her the wooden plaque and a brush, she then resolutely turned her back to the girl before any money could be offered.

The blue-haired girl stared at Rei's back for a moment, then glanced uncertainly at Yuuichirou, who was grinning widely. A small smile graced her face then.

"Thank you," she said simply. Writing her wish on the ema, she went over to the board and hung it up. Turning, she bowed to Rei and Yuuichirou, then headed for the gate.

Rei watched the girl leave. There was that feeling of familiarity again, though not as strong as with the blonde. Glancing at the ema, her expression became calculating. Yuuichirou looked at her and sweatdropped, easily imagining the two chibi-Reis arguing on her shoulders. Eventually, the miko made up her mind and moved to the board.

"Oh well, I'll have to see them when I take them off, anyway... 'May Ryo-kun have a safe trip back. Mizuno Ami.' Aww, how nice."

* * *

"M-my Lord...!?" Peridot stammered from where he was kneeling, barely containing his surprise. 

The dark figure did not stir from his obsidian throne. His eyes, however, shone brighter with annoyance, and his voice was colder than ever. "Is your hearing failing in your old age, General? Or did you simply wish to make me repeat myself?"

"Of course not, my Lord! I am honoured to accept this mission. I swear I will not fail you!"

"Indeed you shall not," the dark lord whispered as his underling slowly backed away. "For your own sake."

His plan was perfect. It had taken him years of research and months of personal labour to obtain the small artifact which he had entrusted to Peridot, but it was well worth it. After all, its power had been clearly proven even during the Silver Millenium. There was no way that the Sailor Senshi could escape destruction now.

With a creak of moving armor, the dark lord rose and headed for his chambers. Passing a guard youma, he gave his orders without slowing. "Once Selenite returns from his reconaissance, have him come to me."

"Yes, Lord Adamantite!"

* * *

SATURDAY 

Usagi, Naru, Minako, and a somewhat reluctant Ami were at the mall after their half-day of classes was over. Usagi and Naru were mostly window shopping, while Minako was scanning the visible male population with equally appreciative eyes. Ami followed her classmates and their friend, a look of uncertainty on her face.

"Um, Tsukino-san, I really should be studying now..." she began, but Usagi spun around and cut her off.

"Ami-chan! I told you, it's 'Usagi-chan'. Besides, it's the weekend, and everyone knows it's wrong to study on weekends!" She nodded sagely to herself, while the others sweatdropped. "Now, you're going to pick the next store we go to, and you're going to enjoy yourself like the rest of us."

Ami hesitated a moment, then pointed out a store. Grinning, Usagi turned around...and face-faulted.

"A bookstore," she sighed. "Ami-chan..."

"Well, maybe they have manga too," Minako suggested. At that moment, though, her eyes caught something. "Umm, why don't you guys go on without me?" she said distractedly. The other girls stared after her as she headed straight towards a particularly cute guy sitting at a nearby table. Usagi huffed in exasperation.

"Come on, Usagi-chan, let's just go in," Naru said, patting her friend on the shoulder. The blonde acquiesed, a slight pout still on her face, and turned just in time to bump into someone exiting the store.

"OWW! Hey, watch where you're going!" Usagi sat rubbing her rear end as she glared at the man whom she had bumped into. She guessed that he was a few years older than her, at least. He was tall and quite handsome, with dark, unruly hair and rather intense blue eyes. Eyes that were currently staring at her with a strange expression in them.

"Excuse me? You're the one who should pay more attention." He offered her his hand, but she ignored it and got up by herself.

"Hmmpf! I have better things to do than to talk with creepy guys."

"Like trying to hold your head up with those two odangos on it?"

"You..." Usagi turned her baleful gaze from the slightly amused Mamoru to the giggling Rei, who had just joined the growing crowd around the pair. "What's so funny?"

"He's right, you know," Rei answered, catching her breath. "Those do look like odangos. So, were you late for class again, Odango-atama?"

"WAAAAAAAH! You guys are so mean!" Usagi collapsed again, streaming tears.

"Usagi-chan? What's going on here?" Makoto demanded, having been drawn by the commotion as she finished with her groceries. Seeing her friend in tears, she seemed ready to fight. Naru quickly pulled her aside to explain before things got out of hand.

Around them, the crowd was slowly growing. A small white cat with a crescent moon marking padded in among the spectators, drawn to its ward's side by a sense of foreboding. Further back, a middle-aged man stood unobtrusively observing the scene. He was bald, with a face reminiscent of a vulture's. He absently fingered the small object in his pocket, which pulsed with energy.

'Quite a promising scene,' thought Peridot. 'Perhaps all these people would enjoy a little more...entertainment.'

* * *

"RRRAAAAAAARGH!" 

All the shoppers turned towards the source of the noise. Then, all of them started screaming and running in random directions, away from the abomination suddenly in their midst. It was covered in brown fur and had the head of a lion. Its massive claws appeared sharper than any blade, as did the row of spines on its back. It stood over a head taller than a human even in its hunched posture. In the confusion, Usagi was separated from Naru and found herself huddled in a service corridor with four other girls and one white cat.

"WAAH! A monster!"

"Shut up, Odango-atama, or it'll hear you," Rei snapped quietly.

"How could something like that have appeared out of nowhere?" Ami whispered.

"I'm more worried about how we'll get out," Minako said, peering around the corner. "That thing has us blocked off from the exits."

Artemis peered around to see if anyone was nearby. Seeing no one, he decided to act, and moved forward to nudge at Minako, startling her.

"Artemis? What are you doing here?"

"There's no time to talk. We have to beat that chimera before it can do any more damage." Artemis motioned to the creature in question with its head, as it gleefully ripped into a storefront, shattering glass and display pieces. The girls just gaped at him.

"Did...did that cat just talk?" Makoto asked incredulously.

"Yes, I did," Artemis answered calmly. "Now don't move."

Five faint beams of golden light shot from the crescent moon on his forehead and connected with the five girls. Their eyes glazed over for a moment as a rush of memories assailed them. Than, as one, they snapped out of their daze.

"I...I remember everything now," Rei said.

"So do I," Ami added. She looked at Artemis. "Does this mean we must fight again?"

"I'm afraid so. The Dark Kingdom is severely weakened without Metallia, but they aren't giving up yet."

"But..." Usagi began, her voice shifting into whine mode.

"No time for that, Usagi-chan," Minako interrupted, still looking out the doorway. "We have to get rid of that thing before it hurts anyone."

The other girls nodded, and all raised their hands, a familiar brooch and pens forming within them.

"MOON PRISM POWER"  
"MERCURY POWER"  
"MARS POWER"  
"JUPITER POWER"  
"VENUS POWER"  
"...MAKE UP!"

The five Sailor Senshi rushed out of their hiding place and surrounded the monster. Sailor Moon stepped forward.

"The mall is a sanctuary for weary students after a long week of school. But you ruined everyone's weekend, and now you'll pay! For love and justice, I am the pretty sailor-suited soldier Sailor Moon, and defender of people's right to shop in peace. In the name of the Moon, I'LL PUNISH YOU!"

"You're sure she **had** to remember the speeches too?" Mars muttered to Artemis. Before the cat could respond, the creature crouched and sprang at Sailor Moon, claws outstretched. Sailor Moon squeaked and quickly rolled aside, her hand going to her tiara.

"MOON TIARA ACTION!"

The glowing disk flew unerringly towards the creature, but its reflexes were lightning-fast. It spun around, knocking the disk away with its claws. Then, it roared and pounced on Sailor Moon again. She barely avoided getting her head crushed beneath its massive paw.

"Sailor Moon!" Jupiter yelled. She ran towards the monster and flung herself hard against its side, sending them both rolling away from Sailor Moon. Unfortunately, Jupiter ended up on the bottom. The creature quickly had its paws around her throat and proceeded to strangle her.

"CRESCENT BEAM!"

The beam of light smashed the creature in the face, knocking it off of Sailor Jupiter. It tried to get up again, shaking its head.

"Alright guys, combine our attacks!" Mars shouted. Moon and Mercury nodded, the former still a bit shaky.

"FIRE SOUL"  
"SHABON SPRAY"  
"MOON TIARA ACTION!"

The attacks wrapped around the tiara in a veil of super-heated steam, the projectile slicing cleanly through the monster's chest. It roared one last time before crumbling into dust.

"Moondusted!" Sailor Moon cheered.

"Good work, girls." Artemis joined them. "You haven't forgotten your training. Now, why don't we head to the shrine and have a talk?"

The girls nodded and ducked back into the side passage to de-transform. None of them noticed the floating green eye in a corner that was silently observing them. As they left, Peridot reappeared in a shadowed corner, smirking evilly. "I've got you now, Sailor brats..."

* * *

Jadeite's mind snapped into sudden consciousness, leaving him disoriented and confused. He was still within the same black void that had been his prison for these past months, while his body lay encased in crystal. There was nothing here with him, nothing to see, nothing to feel, only the same oppressive silence as before. That is, except...**something** was different. He could not tell what, but he knew something important had occurred, something irrevocably tied to his own fate... 

"Finally awake, Jadeite?"

A voice. After so long, he almost couldn't understand that he was hearing something. His mind cleared, he reached out with it across the void, trying to locate the voice.

"Do you remember?"

The voice was male, and it seemed to come from everywhere at once, and it was strangely echoing itself. As he thought about the question, Jadeite found that he could indeed remember; he recalled his entire life spread over ten millenia, from his childhood on Earth until his final battle with the Sailor Senshi and his imprisonment by Beryl. He mentally shuddered at some of the things he had done in the interval.

"But that won't happen anymore. Beryl's spell is broken. You are free."

'Free?' Jadeite thought. 'How can I be free when my body is still in this crystal?'

"There are people out these who will help you, when the time is right. Remember...you know who they are."

'The Sailor Senshi...'

"Yes."

'But why would they help me? I **was** their enemy, after all.'

"That is something you must determine on your own. I will not interfere more than I must." A pause. "I must leave you now. Rest well, my friend, for your fighting days are not over yet."

The presence was gone. Jadeite could find nothing in the void other than his own spirit. As he relaxed into a meditative state, he turned his last question over in his mind. There was an extremely obvious possibility, he knew...but he also knew that things change after such a long time, not to mention death and reincarnation. The person she was now will not be the same person she was then.

Shaking off that line of thought, the blond general focused inward. Had his feelings for her changed as well? Now that he could remember everything, he decided that they had not. And that was enough for him.

Back in the crystal tomb in the physical world, Jadeite's lips silently formed a name. "Rei..."

* * *

"Well?" the armoured shadow on the throne asked. His eyes smoldered maliciously, as if daring Peridot to say even one wrong word. The bald general easily got the message. 

"All is going well, my Lord," he reported. "I have been able to learn the identities of the Sailor Senshi. It will take no more than a week to determine the best recipient for our little...'gift'."

"I'm pleasantly surprised, my dear general," his master drawled, his voice still cold. "You have earned my trust and accomplished what Beryl's lackeys were never able to do. Proceed with the mission."

"Yes, my Lord."

As Peridot left the throne room, the dark lord smiled slightly. 'I'm going to win,' he gloated silently. 'I will destroy the Sailor Senshi, and achieve the great conquest that Beryl let slip through her fingers!'

"I wouldn't celebrate yet, my Lord Adamantite."

The dark lord whirled around, armor clinking and energy crackling in his fist. From the shadows at the back of the chamber emerged a handsome man dressed in the standard grey uniform of a Dark Kingdom general. His black hair was streaked with a lock of silver in front, and his eyes were pools of blackness. He wore a neutral expression, but his tone was lightly and unmistakably mocking.

Adamantite settled down when he saw who had dared address him so insolently. "Have you suddenly become a mind reader, Selenite?"

"I've been around long enough to recognize that smile." Selenite stepped onto the dais. "I would not place too much faith in Peridot, my Lord. He is growing overconfident. One small slip is all it would take to put him at the mercy of the Sailor Senshi."

"That matters little. Peridot is but a small part of my plan. His failure would not seriously disrupt our efforts. He is merely to keep those children occupied, until my real power can be brought to bear."

At that, Adamantite erupted with evil laughter, his flaming eyes dancing fiercely as he faced his general. "We have **all** the advantages, Selenite. Beryl was powerful, but she was born human and too blindly loyal to Metallia to save herself. I will bring us back from the brink of the precipice that **she** carved, and grasp the glory promised to us twelve millenia ago."

Selenite nodded impassively at his confident master. "I suppose so..." he agreed, his face unreadable, before fading back into the shadows.

To be continued...


	2. Ch2: Shadows Emerging

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: Firstly, thanks to those who've reviewed so far. I'm glad people are enjoying this. I'm planning on updating the story about once a week from here on, as I still have to balance my time between this and school. For a little while longer, anyway. I do have a question, which I hope someone could help me with. Is there anywhere where I can find more detailed guidelines for story ratings? The next chapter coming up has some 'heavier' subjects in it. I'm personally not bothered by a lot of things, so I can't really tell how to rate them properly. If anyone could help, I'd really appreciate it.

And now, on to the story...**

* * *

**

Hearts of Darkness

Part 2: Shadows Emerging

by JG Chan

It was late on a Saturday afternoon, the sun nearing the western horizon and casting long shadows across the grounds of the Hikawa Shrine. A pair of ravens were perched on the edge of the sloping roof, cawing intermittently in conversation. Yuuichirou was humming to himself while in the kitchen, it being his turn to cook for the shrine's residents.

The group that was gathered in Rei's room was rather more subdued, however. Luna, whom Usagi had fetched before coming to the shrine, looked around from one face to another. "What's the matter, girls? Why are all of you so gloomy?"

Silence was the immediate response. In truth, Luna was fairly sure what the problem was, but she wanted them to talk about it anyway.

"I think..." Rei began wistfully after a moment. "It's just that we all wanted to live the rest of our lives in peace, that's all."

"Yeah," Makoto agreed. "I mean, we know why we need to fight, but I really wouldn't have minded just being a normal person."

"And we did meet up again, even without our memories," Minako added. "It would have been nice to become friends again without having to deal with monsters and stuff..."

Luna sighed. "I understand how you feel. I was hoping for the same thing myself." Her voice hardened. "But what's done is done, and we have to make the best of our situation. There's no telling what the Dark Kingdom is up to this time. We have to be ready when they strike again."

"Speaking of which, today's attack didn't make sense at all." They all turned to stare at Ami, who flushed a bit at the attention. "What I mean is, that...what did you call it, Artemis?"

"Chimera."

"That chimera wasn't stealing energy, or hunting down anyone specific. As fast as it was, it could have done a lot of damage long before we transformed. Something feels wrong..."

"Do you think it was sent to lure **us** into a fight?" Rei asked.

"That's possible," Luna answered, "but it's a strange coincidence that all of you happened to be there at the same time. What do you think, Usagi-chan? Usagi-chan? USAGI!"

"Huh, what?" the blonde in question asked, snapping out of her daydream.

Luna let out an exasperated sigh. "Never mind, Usagi-chan. Why don't we all just go home? We don't know who the enemy is yet, so there's not much we can do for now, anyway."

"Umm, Luna? Can you get home by yourself?" Usagi asked once everyone started to leave. Her feline guardian looked at her inquiringly.

"Yes, but..."

"Alright see ya at home!" Luna stared after Usagi as she dashed outside and back towards the mall. "What's gotten into her?"

* * *

Minako walked home in silence, mulling over the events of the afternoon. In her case, she guessed that her recollection went further than the other girls, since her memories as Sailor V had been sealed by the Silver Crystal as well. Somewhat uncharacteristically, she tried to imagine how she had been only half a day ago, and found that she couldn't, not really. Her memories were part of her again, and nothing really felt the same. 

Riding in her bag with his head poking out, Artemis was in a similar state of thoughtfulness. More specifically, he was trying to recall his knowledge of the Dark Kingdom. If they could figure out what exactly they were after or who's in charge, it'd give them several more options to work with. As it was, they could do little but react, and Artemis didn't like that one bit.

Taking a break from her own thoughts, Minako noted her friend's look of concentration and grinned. Time for some fun...

"Oh Artemis..."

"Hmm? What is it, Minako-chan?"

"I was just wondering about something..." she said innocently. "It's been about a month and a half since we fought Beryl, right?"

The white cat nodded, listening attentively.

"And during that time, it was pretty peaceful, right? I mean, there weren't any youmas to fight, and we didn't need training or anything..."

"Yes..." Artemis confirmed, though he was beginning to frown. Just what was she getting at?

"...so how far have you and Luna gotten?"

With what sounded like a cross between 'What!?' and a cat's yowl, Artemis fell out of Minako's bag and landed face first on the sidewalk, his instincts having deserted him at the moment. His charge, meanwhile, was laughing hysterically, clutching at her sides.

Getting back on his feet, Artemis looked around furtively to make sure they were alone, then glared at Minako. "Where the HECK did that come from!?" he hissed.

"Oh come on, Artemis!" she protested playfully. "What did you expect me to ask? You and Luna obviously belong together, and I'm sure a studly fellow like you would make good use of your time. Well?"

The cat blushed slightly at the sort of compliment, but quickly shook it off. "It isn't any of your business, Minako-chan," he said testily. "Besides, aren't you a bit young to be thinking of this kind of thing?"

"You sound like a parent already." Minako giggled. "Besides, love has nothing to do with age! You have to reach out and seize your heart's desire, no matter what! Or else you only have yourself to blame when you miss out."

Artemis gazed irritably at the victoriously posing Minako, then sighed. "Whatever..." Turning, he continued on their way home.

"Hey Artemis, wait up!"

The white cat ignored her, however. Blinking, Minako's smile disappeared when she noted her friend's still angry movements. She quickly ran up behind him and gathered him up in her arms, drawing a startled yelp from him.

"Minako-chan?" he asked, craning his neck around.

"I'm sorry, Artemis," she said softly, smiling apologetically down at him. "I guess I went a bit too far, huh?"

He nodded wordlessly.

"I'm serious about the other stuff, though," she continued. "You and Luna belong together, I can feel it. But if you don't do anything about it, then it might become too late, before you even realize it..."

Artemis glanced worriedly at Minako's face, noting the slightly fearful look in her eyes. With a jolt, he realized she was remembering the deaths of the Senshi in the final battle, and how each of them had yet to kiss a boy they loved. He gulped, his anger completely forgotten. "Minako-chan..."

The blonde shook her head. "It's alright. Anyway, I'm sorry for what I said, but if you decide to go for it, I'm with you all the way!" She grinned, flashing him a victory sign.

The cat smiled back at her, as she began walking and kept on speaking.

"And when we get home, I'll cook supper for you to make up for it."

'Oh Gods no...'

As they had turned past a corner, a small green eye floated out from among the bushes, stared after its quarry, then disappeared.

* * *

'Where is he?' Usagi wondered as she looked around the mall. The fight had done some damage, but the police had given up long ago on finding anything conclusive from these battles. It was getting late, though, and the number of shoppers were dwindling. There was no sign of the one she was looking for. 

'Maybe he went home,' she guessed, and took off in the direction of his apartment building. Midway there, she recognized a tall figure walking ahead of her.

"Mamo-chan!"

Mamoru turned around just in time to receive Usagi's flying tackle. He stepped back, startled, with the blonde clinging to him like glue.

"Oh, Mamo-chan, I'm so glad to see you again! I'm sorry I didn't recognize you at the mall...wait, are you okay? Did the monster hurt you?"

"H-hold on a second!" Mamoru took hold of Usagi's shoulders and pushed her back a bit. "You're that girl with the odangos... But how do you know my name?"

Usagi was stunned. "What do you mean, 'how do I know your name?' It's me, Mamo-chan, Usagi! We were..."

"Look," Mamoru interrupted, holding up his hand. "I'm sorry if I was rude to you earlier, but I don't know you, alright? Today's the first time we've met. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be going home."

Usagi stood there, dumbfounded, as he turned and walked away. Moments later, as the door to his building closed, she collapsed to her knees, tears in her eyes.

"He...he doesn't remember," she whispered shakily. "He doesn't remember me...us." Her tears were rolling down her cheeks now. 'How could this happen? After all we've been through, all the pain and fear and loneliness...it's like the brainwashing all over again...no...'

With that last thought tearing at her heart and soul, she broke down sobbing.

* * *

Rei fell back on the floor, lost in thought. After seeing her friends off, her mind had immediately turned to the dreams that had been bothering her all of last week. Now, at least, she had some inkling as to what they meant. That scene must have occurred in Queen Serenity's palace on the Moon, during some ball or other such event. But who had she been mourning? And who was the man who had tried to comfort her? Whenever she had had the dream, his face had been blurred. 

She made a small noise of discontent, her violet eyes focusing once more. It somehow felt important that she solve this puzzle, yet her memories of her past life were too incomplete to be useful. Perhaps she could try the fire again, now that her memories have returned...

A knock on her door shook her out of her reverie. Pushing herself off the floor, she opened it to see Yuuichirou standing there.

"Supper's ready, Rei-san," he announced.

"Right, thanks." Rei walked out past him, sliding the door closed and heading for the family room. Yuuichirou followed, clearing his throat to speak.

"Umm, Rei-san? Have you been feeling well lately?

Rei glanced at him curiously. "Why do you ask?"

"Ah, well..." he hesitated. "It's just that you've been acting a bit...differently...is all."

"You mean I'm not yelling at you enough?" she joked, grinning.

"Huh? No! I mean...umm..."

"It's okay, Yuuichirou. I just have a lot on my mind lately."

"Well," he started brightly, "I could sing you a..."

"No, Yuuichirou," she cut him off firmly, stepping into the family room. The shaggy-haired man looked crestfallen for a bit, then shrugged and joined her. Maybe he could try again later.

Outside, another gem-like eye flew away from the shrine, out of view of the nearby birds.

* * *

Luna raised her head from her paws when she heard the front door open. 

"Usagi-chan, where have you been?" Ikuko asked, concerned. "You're late for supper!"

"Sorry, Okaa-san, I got caught up talking to my friends." Usagi's voice was listless. "I'm not hungry, I think I'll just go to bed..."

"Are you sure, dear? Is something wrong?"

"I'm fine, Okaa-san, really. Night."

Luna listened to Usagi's footsteps as she dragged herself upstairs, shuffled down the hallway, and came into her room. The black cat quickly jumped off the bed and padded over to her. Barely acknowledging her presence, the blonde girl closed the door and started rummaging around the mess on the floor for her pajamas. Luna jumped back onto the bed and looked directly at Usagi's face.

"What's wrong, Usagi-chan? Having to fight again can't be depressing enough to make you lose your appetite."

"It's not that, Luna." Usagi said tiredly as she sat down beside her friend. "It's about...him."

It didn't take too long for Luna to figure things out. "You mean Mamoru-san?"

Usagi nodded. "I went looking for him after the meeting. He...he doesn't remember anything, Luna! Nothing!"

She was close to the point of tears again. Luna climbed on her shoulder and gently licked her face. "Don't worry yourself so much, Usagi-chan. I'm sure he'll remember in time."

She shook her head. "You're just saying that. **I** wouldn't even have remembered if it weren't for that chimera and Artemis..." She stopped, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Luna, can you do the same thing to him as Artemis did to us?"

Luna looked away. "I'm sorry, Usagi-chan, but he's not one of the Sailor Senshi. The mind meld won't work on him."

Usagi's shoulders started to slump in defeat. "Oh Luna..." The two sat in uncomfortable silence for a while. Suddenly, Usagi shook her head fiercely and sat up straight, determination shining in her expressive blue eyes. "Well, if nobody can help me, I'll just have to make him remember myself!" she declared. "Yep, I'll go find him first thing in the morning. Now, food..."

Luna watched as Usagi went back downstairs, seemingly back to her normal, perky, gluttonous self. Alone in the room once more, she let out a sigh of relief. "Usagi-chan...I really hope this works out for you."

Turning around, the cat looked out the window at the clear night sky and sent out a prayer. 'Please watch over your daughter, Serenity. Please let her find happiness again.'

* * *

Jadeite delved deeper within himself, searching for the reserves of strength that remained to him. A brief rush of wind seemed to surge through his spirit self as he found one pool and dipped into it, feeling its power. A tracery of vein-like channels glowed briefly, invisible in the physical plane, showing him his own energy flow pattern. With a slow exhalation, he retreated from the pool and calmed himself. 

He was weaker than he remembered. Not only had he been seriously injured when Beryl imprisoned him, but he also had not improved on his original abilities during his time in the Dark Kingdom. His spirit self bit off a frustrated growl, though his physical body remained unmoving. It would take him time to recover his strength, and he could only push himself so far while in his current state.

"It could be worse."

'You're back,' Jadeite thought, glancing around out of habit even though he knew nothing was there. 'And yes, I'm well aware of how much worse off I could be. Still, we don't have much time, do we?'

"No, we do not. Have you been able to explore yet?"

'Not quite, but it shouldn't take long now.' The former Shitennou frowned. 'Why can't you just tell me what I need to know? In fact, who are you really? There can't be that many people who could reach me here, and know as much as you do...'

"You'll find out soon enough. Keep working on your powers. I'll be back when something comes up."

'Right...' Jadeite agreed. No point in pushing the issue before he was ready. Stilling his mind once more, he took a slow, deep breath and returned to his meditations.

* * *

Elsewhere, someone else entered a similar state of tranquility. Rei knelt before the great fire, eyes closed, mind empty of all thoughts save those directed at the blaze before her. She'd originally decided to do this early the next day, but the sense of urgency that kept nagging at her refused to wait. 

Taking a few deep breaths, she plunged her consciousness into the sacred flame. Like in all her previous sessions, she gradually lost all physical sensations as her spirit immersed itself in the soothing heat. She heard, saw, and felt the fire directly in her soul. A great peace descended upon her as her mind opened to the spirit world around her, ready to receive its visions.

_"Come on, Rei, they'll be here any minute now."_

_Rei opened her eyes. She was in a small sitting room that, judging from the rich tapestries and expensive furniture, must have belonged in a palace. Ami, Makoto, and Minako were standing by the doorway, wearing simple but elegant gowns. Usagi...no, Princess Serenity was in front of her, her innocent face smiling gently and in concern in her eyes._

_"And you tease me about daydreaming..." Serenity giggled as Rei got up. The priestess was wearing a red and black dress somewhat similar to those of the girls. She followed her friends as they made their way towards the west wing of what she now recognized as the Moon Palace. Eventually, they arrived before a pair of large guarded doors, painted silver with gold engravings. Two white-garbed soldiers, recognizing them, opened the doors and bowed respectfully._

_Queen Serenity was already inside, along with representatives from the royal families of all the inner planets. As the five princesses entered the room, the sigils on the walls and the circle in the middle of the marble floor started to glow. A pillar of light surged upwards from the circle, indicating the completion of the transportation spell._

_Prince Endymion was the first to appear from the column of light, clad in his formal armour and sword. He went directly to Rei and bowed deeply, then put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm very sorry, Rei. I know how much he meant to you. We'll all miss him very much."_

_Rei listened perplexedly to his words, then noticed that part of her, the part that existed within this vision, was weeping. She could feel the grief and regret radiating from her other self, and for a moment, she was afraid to see more._

_As he finished speaking, Endymion squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, then moved to bow to Queen Serenity and stand beside his Princess._

_Next to emerge from the light were four men bearing an open casket. At first, Rei was shocked to see who they were. The Shitennou were very different back then, before their corruption by Queen Beryl. Their eyes reflected sadness and respect, not the cruel arrogance she had come to expect. They wore the green and blue dress uniforms of the Earth military, as well as the pendants indicating that they were the Prince's personal guardians. Apart from Kunzite, they still bore the epaulettes of colonels._

_A small jolt shook Rei from her musings. She was suddenly sure that it had been one of the Shitennou who had come to her in the garden in her dreams. But which one?_

_Then, her attention turned to the casket as it was lowered onto a dais at the back of the room. It bore the crest of one of the noble families of the planet Mars, one that was very close to the royal family. Knowledge from the past came unbidden to her mind, and she realized that this was a Hero's Parting, a rite held by Queen Serenity reserved exclusively for those who have proven their courage and valour. 'Who is that?' she wondered._

_As the guardians stepped away from the casket, Rei caught a glimpse of brown hair. Then, everything faded into darkness, as her spirit returned to her body._

She slowly opened her eyes. "Well, that was useful," she said sarcastically. "Every answer brings up more questions. I'm nowhere close to solving this mystery yet." She stretched and rubbed her neck. "Oh well, it's getting late anyway. Maybe tonight I can get a good night's sleep."

* * *

SUNDAY 

Luna grumbled sourly as she picked her way out of the sheets. She hated it when Usagi tumbled her around like that when she got up. The still sleepy cat was sprawled in the middle of the now empty bed. The rays of the sun filtered in through the blinds, letting her know that it was morning already. From downstairs came the sounds of Ikuko moving around in the kitchen. 'Funny,' Luna thought muzzily, 'I'm usually awake before Usagi-chan...'

"Everyone, breakfast is ready!" Ikuko called out a bit later.

"Oh, good..." Luna mumbled. Then, it hit her. Breakfast!? Usagi was up for breakfast on a SUNDAY!? Now fully awake, Luna whirled and stared in near shock at her blonde charge, who was just finishing pulling on her light blue summer dress and seemed totally alert. "What's going on here?"

"Good morning, Luna," Usagi chirped.

"Good **morning**? Normally the first thing you say on a Sunday is good **afternoon**!"

Usagi sweatdropped. "I'm not that bad."

"Oh really?" Luna stretched. "So, why are you up this early?"

"Well, I came up with this idea to get Mamo-chan to remember me, and I need time to prepare." She proceeded to explain her plan to Luna.

"Do you think it'll work?" Luna asked uncertainly.

"Oh, sure it'll work! I mean, it's not like he's under a spell or anything like that, right? He just forgot, that's all..." '...at least, I hope, that's all,' she continued privately, moving away. 'I don't know if I can stand being apart from him again for much longer. Gods, isn't ten thousand years long enough?'

Luna watched Usagi leave the room, and dimly registered her family's cries of surprise. She had seen the flicker of doubt flash across the girl's eyes, and wanted desperately to reassure her, to do something for her. Unfortunately, there was nothing she could think of that would work.

"You're the only one who can do this Usagi-chan. The bond between the two of you, everything you've shared..." The feline guardian shook her head, and followed Usagi downstairs.

* * *

"Are they ready?" Adamantite asked without pre-amble. 

"Yes, my Lord," Selenite reported from his position to the left of the throne. "The receptors have been scattered throughout our target area, and are ready to be activated."

"Good." The dark lord swept his gaze across the troops arrayed before him. With Peridot were ten chimeras that seemed to come straight out of a mad scientist's lab. All of them were created through the fusion of various animals. Adamantite was pleased. While they seemed like a ragtag bunch, their sheer power and ferocity were considerable. The Sailor Senshi were sure to have their hands full.

"Go now, Peridot," he ordered. "And make sure you fulfill your own part of the plan as well."

"Yes, my Lord," the general replied. A black portal formed in front of him, and he and his troops stepped in. The portal closed, leaving only Selenite and the dark lord in the throne hall.

"Perhaps I should have gone with him," Selenite remarked, impassive as usual. "Finding a proper target would require careful examination, and human emotional states are not within Peridot's area of expertise."

"And you think they are within yours?" Adamantite snorted, eyeing the cold man beside him. "In any case, you are being over-cautious," he continued reprovingly. "Recklessness is to be avoided, but so is the inability to move and take risks. Humans are weak creatures, after all; they all have something we can use, and delay holds no benefit."

"I suppose not..."

* * *

"Mamo-chan!" 

Mamoru turned around. 'Oh, it's her again,' he thought, and sighed inwardly. Sure enough, he soon received the high speed tackle which he had expected and braced himself for. Though how he knew that, he had no idea.

"Hello, Usagi-san," he said absently.

"You...you remember me! Then, does that mean you remember **us**, too?"

Mamoru backed away a bit from her star-filled gaze. "Whoa, calm down there, Odango-atama. You told me your name yesterday, didn't you?"

Usagi seemed crestfallen. "Oh. Oh yeah..."

For a minute, there was only nervous silence. Usagi was mentally scolding herself for jumping to conclusions, while Mamoru was still wondering why her actions seemed so familiar to him.

"So, why are you here this morning?" he asked, more to break the tension than anything else. He was surprised at how quickly she brightened up.

Usagi took off her backpack and dug around it for a bit, emerging with several pieces of paper. She presented them to him one by one, narrating all the while.

"Twelve thousand years ago, there was a Princess Serenity from the Moon and a Prince Endymion from Earth. They were really, really in love with each other, and engaged to marry. Then the evil Queen Beryl attacked the Moon and killed everyone, but Queen Serenity used the Illusion Silver Crystal and had all of them reincarnate..."

"Hey, Usagi-chan!"

Said blonde turned around, slightly irritated, as Naru ran up to her.

"Usagi-chan, why are you talking to him? I thought you said he was a creep."

"He is NOT a creep! I never said that!"

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't!"

Naru sighed. She wasn't going to get into one of **these** arguments again. "Anyway, wanna come and study with me? We have that test on Tuesday..."

"But Naru-chan!" Usagi whined. "Tuesday is two days away. Can't we study tomorrow?"

"I don't mind, but you're the one who needs to study." The redhead smirked and poked Usagi. "Or else you'll get another 30."

"Don't remind me..." Usagi turned around again. "Mamo-chan? Where are you? MAMO-CHAN!"

Fully one city block away, Mamoru winced slightly. 'Gods, she has a loud voice,' he thought. He had slipped away while Usagi had been talking to her friend, his mind confused. As incredible as her story had sounded, he couldn't bring himself to dismiss it as a fairy tale. There was something about it that struck a chord deep within his own memories. He shook his head, and quickened his pace. That girl was starting to give him a headache, as well as a strange feeling that he was on the brink of some startling discovery. He sighed. Perhaps later, when he had a chance to relax, he could sort all of this out.

* * *

Ami had decided to cut through the park on her way to the train station. It was Sunday, after all, and she had worked hard all week, so she could take a break. It was such a great day for it, too; bright sunshine cooled by a moderate breeze, no clouds at all. There were a lot of families at the park today, but the sounds they made were soothing rather and annoying. 

Passing by the lake, she saw several children running in the water and splashing about, and considered joining them. She giggled to herself. Most people, even her dearest friends, tended to forget the fourteen-year-old girl beneath the studious and serious persona. She didn't really mind, though. And besides, she secretly enjoyed the looks on her friends' faces whenever she did anything outrageous.

'And of course, today might just get better...' she added to herself, thinking of her current destination. She was about to turn to the park's exit then, but suddenly she spotted the two girls standing under a tree with predatory looks on their faces. Curious, she walked over towards them.

"Minako-chan, Mako-chan, what are you doing here?" she asked as she got closer.

"Hey, Ami-chan!" Makoto waved at her. "Just doing a little boy-watching before going to the mall. There's so many people here today, I don't think there's anyone left indoors."

"Wanna join us?" Minako teased, smiling as Ami switched from sweatdropping to blushing. "Come on, I'm sure you'll find something you'll like. Besides," she winked, "as a future doctor, you need to thoroughly study the male body."

"Minako-chan, that's..." Ami shook her head. "In any case, I can't. Ryo-kun is arriving today, and I was on my way to the station to meet him."

"Ooooh, so you already caught your own, eh?" Makoto smacked a fist in her palm. "Well, looks like we'll have to work harder, Minako-chan, or we'll be the only single ones left."

The blonde giggled half-heartedly, as Ami vehemently protested that there wasn't anything like that between her and Ryo. She knew that wasn't true, after all, and she couldn't help but feel a small pang at Makoto's words.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!"

The three girls jerked their heads towards the center of the park. People were screaming and running from ten chimeras that had just appeared out of nowhere. A little boy stumbled and fell, and one of the monsters, a goat-headed humanoid panther, approached its hapless victim.

"Go transform and call the others," Minako hissed urgently. "I'll keep it busy." She ran off before anyone could stop her, the only person to be running towards the creatures.

"Minako-chan, wait!" Ami yelled, even as Makoto pulled her behind a clump of trees, already speaking into her communicator. "You can't fight them alone!"

Meanwhile, the boy sat frozen in terror as the chimera stalked towards him, its bestial face split in a wide grin. It failed to notice the lithe blonde form sprinting down the path, and grunted in surprise as a leg sweep sent him tumbling to the ground. The other chimeras turned around, surprised at the girl's foolishness, as Minako quickly grabbed the boy and ran. It took only a few seconds for the monsters to decide on their next prey, and they all rushed after her.

"SHABON SPRAY!"

The chimeras skidded to a stop as mist rose up all around them. They looked around, confused.

"SUPREME THUNDER!"

The blast of lightning struck one creature dead on, knocking it down. Two of its comrades retaliated with their own ranged attacks, but Sailor Jupiter had already moved away. That didn't seem to faze them, though. In fact, several of them started to grin. Now **this** was going to be a good fight.

* * *

Midway across a street, Mamoru froze. Something was very wrong. He could feel a growing sense of danger in the back of his head. The same thing had happened at the mall that day the monster attacked, but at the time he thought it was just a natural reaction. The sound of a horn made him jump, and he quickly got off the street. 

The feeling was familiar somehow, and he struggled to remember what it meant. 'It's coming from the park,' he realized. Turning abruptly, he followed this sixth sense to see what was happening.

* * *

Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars both landed on the wall at the same time. Down in the park, they could see the battle still raging. Three of the chimeras had been destroyed, but the advantage was still theirs. Sailor Jupiter had a hand pressed against her side, and the others were panting heavily. 

Leaping onto a bench, Sailor Moon struck her pose. "Hold it right there, you animals! You think that just because you outnumber us, you can win? Well think again! For love and justice, I am the pretty sailor-suited soldier Sailor Moon! In the name of the Moon, I'LL PUNISH YOU!"

"Stop yapping and start fighting!" Mars yelled as she ran past. Sailor Moon stuck her tongue out, then quickly jumped away as one of the creatures smashed into the bench. She landed behind another chimera and spun around as her hand went to her forehead.

"MOON TIARA ACTION!"

At such close range, the monster had no time to dodge and dissolved in a cloud of dust. Mars tackled a half-lizard, half-bird thing that was grappling with Mercury. The monstrosity prepared to retaliate, but was fried by Jupiter's attack. The two sides were now evenly matched.

A humanoid tiger with bull horns and a reptilian tail jumped over Mercury and landed right on Sailor Moon, pinning her down. His cohorts quickly attacked the other Senshi, preventing them from helping their princess. Fear gripped Sailor Moon's heart as she stared at the slavering maw inches in front of her. 'I'm done for,' she thought. As the chimera prepared to bite down, her last thought was not of herself, nor of her friends or family. It was of Mamoru. 'I'll find you again in our next life, my love,' she promised silently, bracing herself for the pain.

It never came. Sailor Moon opened her eyes to see the creature stagger backwards, a rose buried in its face.

"You will NEVER hurt Sailor Moon as long as I'm alive!" Tuxedo Kamen shouted as he landed beside Sailor Moon, forgoing his usual speech. Behind them, another chimera fell in a smoking heap.

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama! You're here!"

"I will never abandon you, Sailor Moon. Now, it's time to finish this."

"Right."

With the odds now in the humans' favour, the battle did not last long. Sailor Moon finished off the wounded tiger, Mars and Venus blasted another one, and Mercury and Jupiter destroyed another. The last standing creature found itself facing three Sailor Senshi.

"FIRE SOUL"  
"CRESCENT BEAM"  
"MOON TIARA ACTION!"

The fight was over, and Sailor Moon plopped down on the ground, trembling slightly. 'That was so close,' she thought. 'If Tuxedo Kamen hadn't come...' She turned around to find that her hero had disappeared, unsurprisingly. 'Did he finally remember?' she wondered.

"Usagi-chan, are you alright?" Ami asked.

Sailor Moon nodded and joined the others, all of them de-transforming. Except for Makoto, the girls were more winded than anything else. The brunette had a bruised rib from one of the chimeras' fist, though she lightly dismissed it.

"I'll be fine, I'll just go home and lie down for a while."

"No, Mako-chan," Ami objected. "You could permanently injure yourself if you don't tend to it properly. We'll take you to the hospital and have it taken care of."

"Umm...could you guys go without me?" Usagi asked a bit guiltily. "I really need to find Mamo-chan."

Rei was about to object, but Minako interrupted her and told Usagi to go ahead. Meanwhile, Makoto turned to Ami. "Why don't you go too, Ami-chan? I'll be okay with Rei-chan and Minako-chan."

The blue-haired girl hesitated. "Are you sure?"

Makoto winked at her. "Of course, I've been in worse scrapes before. Now go on, you don't want to miss Ryo-kun's train."

Ami remained undecided for a few moments longer, then nodded slightly and headed off, cautioning Makoto to take it easy. As she left, Minako's eyes clouded over again. She immediately shook her head to get rid of the feeling, and silently scolded herself. 'Now is **not** the time for this.'

Noticing the blonde's expression, Rei gave her a speculative glance as she moved to Makoto's side. With Minako on the other side, they slowly headed for the park exit, unaware of the small green eye detaching itself from a tree behind them. It floated there for a moment, unblinking, before flying off to find its master.

* * *

"Well?" Adamantite asked shortly. 

"It worked," Selenite answered. "The fear generated by such a large group of chimeras was strong enough to provide a plentiful energy source, and our receptors had no trouble absorbing it. Coupled with the trace amounts taken from all over Tokyo, we have gathered more energy in one strike than any of Beryl's minions."

"Perfect." The supreme ruler of the Dark Kingdom stood and took a crystal orb from somewhere in his armour. Raising it, he spoke a few inaudible words and watched as the orb filled with power. His eyes burned brighter in satisfaction.

The doors to the throne room opened, and Peridot entered. He knelt before his master, awaiting acknowledgement. The dark lord studied his orb for a moment longer before stowing it away and looking down at his general.

"Congratulations, General Peridot," he said neutrally. "The attack has succeeded in its intended goal. Dare I hope that you have as well?"

"Yes, my Lord," the bald man replied. "I have found the most likely target for our plan. We may proceed to the next phase at your convenience."

Adamantite smiled coldly. "Proceed, then, and be discreet."

"As you say, my Lord."

Selenite watched dispassionately as Peridot disappeared into a portal. He then bowed wordlessly to Adamantite and left the throne room via the shadows in the back.

* * *

Sailor Moon landed silently on the balcony of Mamoru's apartment. Sure enough, her beloved was inside, sitting on the couch and staring fixedly at his hands. Hearing the glass door slide open, he looked up, and she couldn't help but gasp at the pained expression on his face. 

"Mamo-chan, are you alright?"

He turned his stare upon her, his eyes lost. As she took a step forward, however, he seemed to snap out of his daze, and his expression became desperate.

"Leave me alone!" he snapped, turning away. Sailor Moon froze, uncertain as to how to react. Why would he be so mean to her?

"Mamo-chan..."

"I said LEAVE ME ALONE! Get away from here, Usagi!" She averted her eyes from his glare, missing the sudden expression of shame that overtook him. Sobbing, she leapt from the balcony and disappeared. Mamoru stared after her, his thoughts roiling madly.

'I'm such an idiot,' he thought bitterly. 'It wasn't her fault. I shouldn't have taken it out on her.'

He sighed, the tremulous breath loud in the silence of his apartment. When he had arrived at the park and seen the Sailor Senshi in battle, the rest of his memories had clicked in place. He hadn't thought about them then, only reacted and joined the fight. Afterwards, however, the full realization of one particular memory struck him and left his mind a mess of agony and despair. He had wanted so desperately to forget again, right about the time Sailor Moon had come in, and had taken his frustration out on her.

He buried his face in his hands. What was he going to do now? Could he continue to help the Senshi as Tuxedo Kamen? Could he even allow himself to be near Usagi after what he'd done? He feared what her reaction would be if he told her the truth, but he feared losing her just as much.

"What do I do now?" he asked no one in particular, despairing of ever finding the answer himself. "WHAT DO I DO!?"

To be continued...


	3. Ch3: Scars Remembered

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: Again, thanks for the reviews. :) I'll do my best to keep things interesting. As I mentioned before, this chapter does touch on some heavier themes, though nothing explicit or particular graphic. I'm just of the opinion that a good villain, while not unnecessarily and gratuitously cruel, will not hold back anything if it would prove advantageous. Anyway, read on, and again, hope you all enjoy...

**

* * *

**

**Hearts of Darkness**

Part 3: Scars Remembered

by JG Chan

A puffy-eyed Sailor Moon climbed into her room from the open window, using the same route Luna took whenever she left on her own. She didn't pay attention to her guardian's greeting as she de-transformed and collapsed onto the bed, crying.

'What's going on?' she asked herself. 'He came to help us, didn't he? So he must still care for me...and he remembered how to become Tuxedo Kamen. Or maybe...maybe that's all he remembers, and he only came to help us because we were just people who needed help...no, I know that's not it...he called me Usagi when I was still Sailor Moon! Yes! He must remember us now...but why did he tell me to leave? Doesn't he love me anymore? Was it something I did? It can't be because I'm a poor fighter...I've improved a lot since I began...but my room's a mess, and I can't cook, and I don't pay attention at school, and I'm a klutz, and all I'm good at is playing video games...no, he doesn't even know most of those things, does he? Well there's the school and the klutz part, but still...he wouldn't dump me for that, right? He's probably just shocked by all his memories coming back at once, he'll be okay after a bit...and here I am worrying over nothing...Rei-chan would yell at me for being childish if I ever told her...wait, what if that's it? Does he think I'm just a child? Does he think I'm too young for him? Otou-san keeps saying that I'm too young to date...what if he's right? NO! I'll prove them wrong! I'll show them that I'm old enough to be with Mamo-chan, old enough to love, I've gone through too much to let this stop me...' "AAAAAAHH! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, LUNA!?"

"I thought I was going to have to **bite** you to get your attention." Luna disentangled her paws from Usagi's hair and faced the distraught young girl. "Now, what was that all about, Usagi-chan? I swear, your face went through more contortions than a circus act."

"I..." Usagi's irritation faded, and her voice became subdued. "I just came back from Mamo-chan's apartment. I think he remembers everything now, but...he kicked me out..."

"He WHAT!? He can't do that! He loves you!"

"Does he? I'm just fourteen, Luna. What if he thinks I'm too young, like Otou-san always says..."

"Usagi-chan, you've never let that get to you before, so don't you start now."

"But it's not just that." She started to sniffle. "Gods know I'm not the perfect girl. I'm lazy, I'm messy, I eat too much, I don't study enough... You should know, Luna, you're the one who keeps telling me these things."

The cat looked guilty for a second, but quickly recovered. For this argument at least, she knew the answer. "And I don't love you any less for that, Usagi-chan. Neither do the girls, nor your parents, so I don't see any reason why **he** wouldn't accept you despite all that."

Usagi stared back at Luna, not knowing what to say.

"And besides, I think you're placing too much blame on yourself. You used to do that a lot back in the Silver Millenium...both of you did. Have you considered the possibility that **he's** the one who doesn't think he deserves you?"

Usagi was shocked. "How can you say that, Luna? Of course he deserves me, he deserves way better than me. It's me who..."

"And he would have said the same thing about you," Luna cut in.

Usagi was about to reply, but couldn't think of anything to refute that claim. 'Maybe Luna's right,' she thought. 'Maybe he's blaming himself for something... I have to go see him again.' She got up and prepared to transform. It was too late to make it to his place on foot without being late coming back, and she didn't want her parents to know anything just yet.

"MOON PRISM POWER, MAKE UP!"

Nothing happened.

"Usagi-chan, what's wrong?" Luna asked.

"I don't..." Before either of them could say anything more, a bright pink glow surrounded Usagi, lifting her into the air. A moment later, she was gone, leaving an astonished Luna staring at an empty spot in the room.

* * *

Across the ward in Juuban General Hospital, Rei looked up sharply, half rising from her seat in the waiting room. Something momentous had just happened, and it involved Sailor Moon somehow; she could feel the ripples of energy resonating through her spirit. Thankfully they didn't feel evil, but the underlying power in them left her shaken nonetheless. What could have manifested this kind of strength? 

"Rei-chan, what's wrong?" The young miko looked up as Minako took a seat next to her. "You look a bit out of it."

"I just...something big just happened, I think. I felt a very strong power just now."

"You mean you sensed a great disturbance in the Force."

Rei glared at Minako, who giggled and put up her hands. "I'm joking, I'm joking!"

"Hmph. Anyway, I don't think it's anything evil, but we might want to check in with Luna later. How's Mako-chan?"

"Oh, the doctor said she'll be fine if she doesn't strain herself too much. They're bandaging her right now, and she'll be free to go after that." Minako looked around, pursing her lips. "Which is great, really. Don't tell Ami-chan I said this, but hospitals make me uncomfortable."

Rei simply nodded; she had felt the same way for a while after her mother had passed away. Trying to think of something else, she suddenly remembered something. "Minako-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"Is there anything going on with you lately?"

Minako blinked. "What kind of question is that?"

"Right after today's fight, you looked like you were hurt by something," Rei said bluntly. "Is there anything we should know about?"

Minako fidgeted suddenly, her lips twitching a little in her smile. "...Nope, nothing, must have been your imagination gotta go homework due tomorrow bye!"

And with that, she quickly bolted out of the room, ignoring her friend's protests. Rei stared worriedly after the departing blonde; something was definitely up, and she needed to get to the bottom of it. 'Wonderful,' she thought sarcastically. 'Two more mysteries for me...' Shaking her head, she got up and went to check on Makoto.

Outside the window, unnoticed by the busy orderlies and worried visitors, a green eye floated away from the building.

* * *

Ami nervously checked her watch. 4:30 PM. 'This is strange,' she thought. 'The train's rarely this late. Could something have happened? Is it the Dark Kingdom?' 

A low rumbling made her look up, and she heaved a sigh of relief as she saw the train entering the station. Nothing seemed amiss, yet. 'I'll feel much better once I see him, though.' Scanning the crowd of disembarking passengers, she caught a glimpse of the boy she was looking for. She waited until he looked in her direction and waved at him, and he quickly came over. Grinning, he dropped his suitcase and hugged her.

"Ryo-kun!" she protested, blushing deeply. "We're in public!" He smiled sweetly in reply.

"Sorry, Ami-chan. I'm just so glad to see you again. I really missed you, you know, phone calls notwithstanding."

"So did I." She returned the smile, though her eyes were still downcast. "How long are you staying?"

"Actually, I just transferred back to Juuban Middle School. I'll be staying here from now on."

"Really? That's great!" Ami almost couldn't believe it. Now they could study together whenever they wanted. 'Is studying **all** you want to do with him?' a part of her asked, which caused her blush to renew itself.

"Is there something wrong, Ami-chan?" Ryo asked her, seeing as she was standing there in silence.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm just so happy, that's all. So, where are you going to stay?"

"One of my mother's friends agreed to let me stay with him. I'm supposed to call him when I get here so that he can pick me up." His expression became serious then. "But before that, would you come with me for a bit?"

Perplexed at the change in Ryo's demeanor, Ami simply nodded. Picking up his luggage, the boy looked around, then led the way to the small open cafe inside the station. They sat at a table in the corner, where they could see anyone approaching.

"What's going on, Ryo-kun?" Ami asked as they sat down.

"Your friends know that I know about you guys, right?" he asked in response. Ami nodded; after the events with the seven shadow warriors, she had explained Ryo's gift to the girls. They had all agreed that he could be trusted with the information, though it took some serious persuasion in Luna's case.

"To tell the truth," Ryo continued, "I've been getting visions again, just before I left to come here. Mostly they're of the Senshi fighting, but..." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a piece of paper. "...there's this one image that I've never seen before. I just know that it's connected to you, somehow."

Ami took the paper and studied it, her brows furrowing in concentration. Finally, she shook her head. "I don't know anything about this, either," she said in reply to his unspoken question. "I could try to find a match with the Mercury computer, though. Or Luna or Artemis might know something... In fact, I'll call a meeting with everyone tomorrow after school, and you can tell them what you told me."

"Are you sure, Ami-chan?" Ryo said. "I mean, I'm not really one of you guys, after all..."

"It'll be okay," she smiled warmly at him, and got up from her seat. Pausing for only an instant, she reached out and took his hand, both of them blushing reflexively. "Come on, let's call your mother's friend." And with that and a small giggle, she led her slightly stunned friend to the nearest payphone.

* * *

All around her stretched a grey landscape of ruins. Piles of broken stones lay about randomly, here and there a few columns still stood...and overlooking all of this, the starry dome of space. 

Usagi looked around. She was sitting on the ground, curled up in fetal position and naked, though that last fact somehow failed to bother her. Something was coming; she could feel its presence washing over her like a gentle wave.

A clearing among the ruins lay before her, and as she watched, a globe of white light appeared at its center. The soft glow gradually coalesced into the form of a woman, tall and beautiful and gowned in white, her silver hair done in the same style as the blonde's own. She was gazing almost longingly at Usagi, and her entire being radiated power and love.

"Mother..." Usagi whispered reverently. She rose to her feet, and mother and daughter embraced for a long time. When they finally pulled apart, Usagi was wearing her Moon Princess gown.

"You have done well, my child," Queen Serenity said warmly. "You have surpassed all expectations I ever had of you."

"But it's not over yet, is it?"

"I'm afraid not, my daughter. The Dark Kingdom is still a threat to your world, and your battles have only just begun. But fear not; there are new allies waiting for you as well, and your love can triumph over any obstacle."

"My love...Mother, do you know what's wrong with Mamo-chan?"

Queen Serenity's expression turned to sadness. "Yes, my dear. That is one of the reasons why I brought you here." She extended her hand above her head, and Sailor Moon's Moon Stick appeared. Before Usagi's eyes, the Silver Crystal detached itself from the wand, which faded into nothing. The Crystal glowed brightly and transformed into a brooch, floating down into Usagi's hands.

"The Illusion Silver Crystal is now held within this clasp," the Queen told her. "When the time comes to use it, you will find a new, stronger power waiting for you. May it keep you and your loved ones safe, always."

"Thank you, Mother." Usagi held the brooch in her hands. She could feel the power of the Crystal surging through her body, but right now it failed to reassure her.

"I know that you are worried about the Prince," Queen Serenity continued. "Endymion is waging a battle of his own, against the memories of his time serving Queen Beryl. He will need your help if he is to survive unscathed."

"I'll do anything for him!" Usagi replied immediately. The Queen nodded solemnly.

"I know, my daughter. And now, I will tell you what it is that he faces..."

* * *

Minako let herself in quietly through the front door. Artemis was out investigating with Luna, and her parents wouldn't be coming home for a while. She had the house of all to herself. 'Only myself,' she thought sadly. 'All alone.' 

She thought back guiltily to how she had run out on Rei earlier. Thinking back on it now, it was such a stupid thing to do as well; she might as well have yelled out, "There's something wrong with me, but I don't want to tell you about it."

She sighed as she reached the living room, letting herself sink into the long tan couch facing the TV. The ugly truth was, she was getting a bit jealous. It was frustrating, and somehow a shameful thing for the Senshi of Venus to be feeling, but she couldn't help it. Usagi had Mamoru, had had him since twelve thousand years ago. Ami was obviously feeling something for Ryo, and Rei could be with Yuuichirou if the miko would only let herself consider it, Minako was certain.

That left her and Makoto, but as far as she saw, the brunette didn't really seem too concerned about her single status. Sure, she'd enthusiastically join her blonde friend in ogling boys, but other than that episode with Motoki, that really was all she did.

Minako let out a frustrated moan. Ever since her memories had returned, these thoughts kept popping up in her head, alongside the fainter image of Danburite's last words. 'Your love will be hopeless for all eternity...'

She shook her head fiercely, and got up from the couch. Brooding didn't really suit her. Those feelings **will** pass, she was sure of it; she loved her friends too much to hold onto such negative thoughts. She headed for the stairs. Right now she needed something to distract herself, and a nice long soak in the furo sounded just perfect.

* * *

Mamoru shut the balcony door behind him, the cool wind and setting sun having failed to calm his thoughts. He stared listlessly at his empty hands, before shutting his eyes and sitting down heavily on his carpeted floor. 

As if things weren't bad enough already, he had to go and hurt Sailor Moon as well...the very last thing he had wanted to do. Though perhaps it was for the best that she give up on him. He couldn't face her now, didn't deserve to be with her, not after what he'd done.

"Beryl..." The name came out through grated teeth, full of hatred...and immediately followed by a new wave of self-loathing. 'I'm trapped,' he thought morosely. 'I want so much to **kill** her again right now, and then I realize I'm just proving her point. Rinse and repeat. Damn...'

His thoughts were interrupted then by the sliding of the glass door. Since he had been leaning against it, its sudden removal caused him to fall over on his back...and right between Sailor Moon's legs.

"Eek!"

"Gah! Sorry, sorry!" He quickly flipped himself up and backed away to the other end of the balcony, blushing slightly.

"Umm, it's okay, it wasn't your fault..." She stood by the door, also blushing and looking down at her feet. Mamoru felt his breath catch as he watched the orange light of the setting sun wash over her, glinting off her golden hair and the gems that were part of her Sailor suit. Her gaze rose to meet his, and she took a step forward. "I'm here to help you, Mamo-chan..."

That snapped him back to the present, and he seemed to withdraw into himself, his eyes closing off behind the familiar mask. "I'm fine, Sailor Moon, there's nothing wrong with me."

"I know what Beryl made you do..." she continued softly.

He froze.He couldn't have heard right... But she was there, gazing at him with solemn but warm eyes that pinned him to the spot. As much as he wanted to panic and run, he simply couldn't tear his eyes from hers. He watched, paralyzed, as she moved towards him, those sapphire blue orbs projecting love and understanding through unshed tears.

"No..." he managed to croak out, as she reached out to embrace him. "I can't...I don't deserve to touch you." 'Not with these hands...'

"Mamo-chan." She was pressed to his chest now, her meatballs coming up to just beneath his chin. His thundering heart must be deafening to her, he thought. "Please, trust me..."

He hesitated. Trust her with what? He'd trust her with his life without a second thought, he knew. But...trust her to love him? Is that what she meant? A small part of his heart perked up with hope, only to be mercilessly pummeled by his sense of guilt. No! He couldn't sully her with what he had done, something that was the antithesis of everything she stood for, everything he loved about her. He couldn't...

* * *

Sailor Moon felt Mamoru's body stiffen as she asked for his trust. Her own nerves had been threatening to fail her the moment she opened his door, and only one thing kept her going. 

"I love you, Mamo-chan," she continued when he didn't reply. "I can't imagine how hard this must be for you, but please..." She choked back a sob. "Please trust me. After so long, finding you and losing you...I can't bear that again...please..."

For a moment he was silent, and she remained where she was, focusing on controlling her own fears. He would respond when he was ready, and she needed to be prepared for when that happened.

After an interminable wait, his arms slowly rose to enfold her, and she felt him relax slightly as he pulled her close. Taking her cue, she willed her wand into her hand and called out softly. "Moon Crystal Power."

There was a moment of disorientation, and then they found themselves in a corner of a cold, dim cavern. Beside her, Mamoru drew in his breath sharply; he had recognized the place as well. She watched him anxiously, half afraid of his reaction.

"This is...Beryl's..." He was trembling visibly as he realized the only reason they'd be here. Sailor Moon tensed herself for the expected outburst, but instead he grabbed her by the shoulders and looked at her with desperate worry on his face. "Sailor Moon, you shouldn't be here! This isn't something you should see. Please, don't do this, not for me!"

'He's...worried about me?' she thought, speechless. Suddenly, she felt all her fears vanish, as her heart warmed at his words, that he would think of her first even when about to face his own nightmares. Her own resolve hardened; she would **not** lose now. Placing her hands over his, she pulled them off her shoulders and smiled at him. "I'll be alright, Mamo-chan, because you're here with me. We'll face this together, okay?"

He watched her for a moment longer before nodding slowly, and both of them turned their attention back to the front of the cave. As if on cue, the air wavered, and images appeared before them, showing a tall, red-haired woman and a dark-haired young man in armour. As the two spectators edged closer, the figures began to speak.

"Well, Prince Endymion?" Beryl was asking invitingly. "Won't you at least consider my offer? When our great Queen triumphes, you and I will rule side by side; you would regain your entire kingdom in an instant!"

Endymion didn't respond, his glare fixed upon the dark queen. Beryl was unfazed, however.

"Surely you don't think I'd break my promise?" she continued. "After all, I did heal your wounds, and having you by my side is what I've always wanted."

The watching pair shivered at that, while Endymion's expression became scornful. "Spare me your bribes, witch," he retorted coldly. "You can offer nothing that I'd want. Why don't you simply brainwash me and make me your puppet, like you did to my guardians?"

"Oh, so you do remember now!" Beryl laughed, her eyes gleaming maliciously. "But Endymion, I have a much better method at my disposal than that: you serve me, and I'll spare your Princess' life."

The prince's expression darkened. "Funny, I could have sworn she destroyed all of your youma so far. And now that she has the Silver Crystal, I'd say **you're** the one who should worry about being spared."

"Do you truly believe that, Endymion? Do you really think that your whining klutz of a Princess can control something as powerful as the Silver Crystal? Or that she has any kind of chance if I had bothered to send more than one youma at a time?" Beryl's hand moved to stroke the orb at her side, which began to glow. "Make no mistake, Endymion...Sailor Moon had been nothing more than a hindrance to me so far. If I truly wished her dead, I would not hesitate to send all my forces against her at once."

"...You're bluffing, Beryl."

The dark queen laughed derisively, her eyes fixed to Endymion's. "Oh, am I? Are you willing to risk it, Endymion...especially when you won't be there to protect her? In fact, I'm sure she's absolutely **crushed** right now, seeing as how you took Zoisite's attack for her..."

A flicker of doubt appeared in Endymion's eyes, and Beryl's smile widened. Stepping down from her throne, she circled past her captive and stood with her back to his, even as she continued speaking. "Or perhaps I won't have her killed outright. That wouldn't be very interesting, now would it? I should capture her and her little friends, and make sure they die slowly and painfully...in front of her."

Beryl laughed with insane delight, while rage mixed with fear was beginning to build in Endymion. As Sailor Moon and Mamoru watched helplessly, Beryl went on to describe the things she might do to the Senshi while she watched Endymion's expression in her crystal orb.

Sailor Moon's face was filled with horror as she listened, numbly registering the tears flowing down her cheeks and Mamoru's arms wrapped tightly about her shoulders. She had never realized how utterly consumed by evil Beryl had been. What was it that made her like this?

A sudden pressure on her arm derailed her train of thought, as Mamoru's fingers clenched reflexively at something Beryl said. Remembering the reason why they were there, Sailor Moon quickly shook off her revulsion and put her hands over his.

"Mamo-chan," she said softly. "This isn't your fault. I chose to do this."

"But..."

His reply was cut off as Beryl, still with her back to Endymion, made her final move. "Ah yes," she exclaimed in mock recollection, her voice filled with wicked glee, "I don't believe you and Serenity have ever...consummated your love, have you? I have the perfect end for her then: I will have my creatures violate her before you, let her see you witness her defilement and humiliation, and..."

"BERYL!!"

The name came out as an animal snarl as Endymion whirled, drawing his broadsword and slashing in one fluid motion. The powerful blow, fueled by blind fury, cleaved easily through cloth, flesh, and bone until it hit the spine. Still grimacing with rage, Endymion lifted his head to glare into Beryl's eyes...but she was no longer there.

Three pairs of eyes watched, two in shocked disbelief and one in resignation, as an astonished Zoisite staggered back, Endymion's blade embedded in his chest. Reaching out one trembling gloved hand to steady himself, he tried to speak, but only blood came out.

Beryl watched on with evil satisfaction from her throne, where she had teleported herself to the moment Endymion had struck. "Oh my, look what you have done. And to think, I had already freed him from my spell as a welcoming gift for you."

Sailor Moon gasped, and Endymion's eyes widened at the import of that statement. And as if to confirm it, Zoisite tried to speak again, this time managing to croak out, "My Prince...End..ymion..." The words took his last breath, and he collapsed backward, taking Endymion's sword with him as the prince's bloodstained arms fell nervelessly to his sides.

"And now, Prince," Beryl said with finality. "You have killed a traitor to your kingdom...and a man you had once called friend. Can you go back to your Princess now, and hold her with those hands of yours? The hands of a killer?"

And with that, Endymion fell to his knees, his will crushed and his mind defenseless as Beryl's power poured into him.

* * *

"Thanks for coming along with me, Rei-chan," Makoto said, hefting a bag of groceries in her left hand. Beside her, Rei carried two heavier bags as well as one of her own. After leaving the hospital, the two had made a quick detour to the store before heading back to Makoto's apartment. 

"It's no big deal," Rei answered. "The doctor did tell you to take it easy for a few days."

"I know, but I feel fine! Doctors always see things worse than they are."

"Well, I wouldn't say that..." The sentence trailed off as the miko slowed, then stopped altogether. They were in front of a typical fast food restaurant. The place was fairly busy so close to suppertime, and rather noisy as well.

Noticing that her friend had stopped, Makoto backed up and looked curiously at Rei. "Rei-chan, what's wrong?"

"I'm not sure. I thought I felt some kind of dark energy coming from inside. It's very weak, though."

One of the brunette's eyebrows quirked. "You've been really sensitive about these things lately, Rei-chan. Are you sure it's not just nerves or tiredness or something?"

"Well I can't help it if I'm more in touch with my spiritual side," Rei huffed, shooting a quick scowl at her companion before returning to her scrutiny of the building.

Makoto watched quietly for a moment. Then, with a shrug, she took Rei's hand and headed inside.

"Mako-chan?"

"Heh, you'll just worry about it all evening if we don't take a look, right?" Makoto winked. "So let's see if there really is something."

They entered the slightly greasy-smelling room, and Makoto took a step back, letting Rei take the lead. The miko scanned the room for a second with a look of concentration, then headed for the back of the building.

"It's getting more distinct here. It's weak, but there's definitely something. And...here!"

"...Rei-chan, that's the men's washroom."

And indeed it was, as evidenced by the man coming out of it right at that moment. He gave the nonplussed girls a strange look before heading back to his table. Makoto glanced back at him as he disappeared. 'At least you can't see here from the front.' She turned to Rei. "Well?"

"...Jan-ken-pon for it?"

The brunette backed away, shaking her head. "Nuh-uh, girlfriend. You're the one in touch with your spiritual side. I wouldn't know what to look for."

Rei frowned, her eyes flicking back and forth between the door and Makoto. Finally, she sighed and put the bags down. Squaring her shoulders, she resolutely opened the door and went in.

Makoto giggled, then placed herself in front of the door to keep watch. A minute later, a darkly scowling Rei came out of the washroom, picked up her bags, and marched towards the door. She didn't stop until they reached the street.

"...Well?" Makoto asked cautiously.

"It was disgusting."

The brunette sweatdropped. "I meant, did you find anything?"

Wordlessly Rei handed her a small object. It looked like a small, purple acorn made of crystal, and it was pulsing slightly with a faint light. Makoto studied it for a moment, then gave up.

"Well I'm stumped. I guess we could show it to Ami-chan tomorrow and see what she can come up with. Where was it?"

Rei's eye twitched. "Out the window to the alley in back."

Makoto blinked. Then, careful to keep her face straight, she reached out and patted her friend sympathetically on the shoulder. "There there, Rei-chan..."

"**Not** a **word** of this to anyone, Mako-chan."

"Not a word."

"Good. Now let's get back before you break down and laugh in my face."

* * *

The images of Beryl and Endymion had faded away, taking the dark cavern with them. Replacing it was a featureless expanse of white, glowing softly from no particular direction. 

Neither Sailor Moon nor Mamoru took much notice of the change, however. The small girl had her face buried in Mamoru's chest, and he simply held her, waiting and doing his best to ignore his turbulent thoughts. At length her trembling stopped, and her body relaxed slightly.

"That was awful, Mamo-chan," she said softly, breaking the silence. "I didn't know..."

"Now you see why I didn't want you to know," he responded just as quietly.

"I...I do, but I couldn't let you do that!" She stepped back to look him in the eye, shaking her head fiercely. "I **love** you, Mamo-chan! I can't let you bear this pain all alone! I want to be together with you, to share everything I am with you!" She took a shuddering breath. "Knowing that you're hiding your suffering from me, that you won't let me help...that would be more painful for me than anything the Dark Kingdom could do to me."

"Usagi..." He said simply, unable to put all his feelings for her into words. In the back of his mind, he had come to the same conclusion, but his own guilt and horror prevented him from acknowledging that. And now, faced with his own actions, he still didn't know what he could do.

"I love you too, Usagi...but this isn't something that can just go away, something you can heal with your Crystal. I killed someone! I wasn't under Beryl's control, even though I know she provoked me, and this isn't just some youma. Zoi...Zoisite was human; I could see it so clearly in his eyes then, there was no trace of dark energy left in him.

He sank to his knees, tears flowing now, feeling a strange mixture of tension and relief as he finally poured his heart out to someone. Looking up, he could see that Sailor Moon was nearly crying as well as she watched him with concerned eyes.

"I love you, Usagi," he continued almost desperately. "I've started loving you even before we found out about our past. You were always so cheerful, so positive, so **alive**. But now, I..."

He was silenced by a finger on his lips, as Sailor Moon knelt down before him. She was smiling, a warm, loving smile that shone with purpose. "Mamo-chan, do you want to be with me?"

"More than anything else," he answered truthfully.

"Then we'll be alright." Still smiling, she clasped her hands over her brooch and closed her eyes, as if praying. Mamoru watched her in silence, wondering what she was doing. His curiosity turned to alarm, however, when suddenly she went limp and fell forward into his arms, glowing with a dim white light.

"Usagi!? Usagi, what's wrong?"

"The Princess is fine, Endymion," a familiar voice said from behind him. "She'll be back to normal once we're finished."

Mamoru's head snapped around almost painfully, and he gaped as his eyes confirmed what his ears told him. The long-haired blond man before him smiled briefly before he bowed. "I beg your Highness' forgiveness for all that I have done to you," he intoned solemnly.

"Zoisite...how?"

"The Princess called to us, Endymion," another voice responded. There was a slight shimmering in the pervading whiteness, and Kunzite's tall form appeared next to his fellow Shitennou's. "She asked us to help you, and the Crystal gave our spirits the power to return."

"What can I do, then?" Mamoru asked. Somehow it felt right for him to ask the two generals, despite their recent enmity. Perhaps it had to do with his returning memories, but right now that was the furthest thing from his mind.

"You need to accept what you've done, Prince," Zoisite said. Mamoru gave him a startled look, and the blond elaborated. "We are warriors, Endymion. To take a life is sometimes unavoidable, and we cannot let that blind us to our true purpose."

Mamoru shook his head. "I can't. How do you expect me to just accept that I'm a killer? Even if you were to forgive me, how can I face myself if I just dismiss a life like that? Tell..."

His tirade was cut off as Kunzite unceremoniously backhanded him across the face, knocking him on his back. The blow was stunning, evidence that the leader of the Shitennou didn't believe in holding back. Nonetheless, he quickly sprang back up and saw the white-haired general holding Sailor Moon with one arm, having made sure not to let her fall.

"So what else will you do, Prince?" Kunzite asked stonily. "Kill yourself in atonement? Abandon the Princess as you wallow in self-pity?"

"I never..."

"SILENCE, ENDYMION!" the general barked. Passing the unconscious girl to Zoisite, he moved forward and grasped the startled young man by the collar. "I expected better of you, Prince," he continued. "It's high time you stopped this self-centered agonizing over your own worth, and thought of the girl you profess to love. She chose to love you. Are you going to make her do so in vain?"

"We don't claim that it'll be easy, Endymion," Zoisite added in a gentler tone. "Neither are we downplaying what you did. But instead of being mired down by it, let it give you the strength to better protect your Princess. Otherwise, you would have killed for nothing."

Mamoru made no reply as he listened to his former guardians. His troubled gaze wandered between the two men and the girl in Zoisite's arms. The longer it lingered on her, the clearer and less troubled it became, until finally resolve and purpose shone through.

"You're right," he admitted at last, smiling at the two men. "I do have something important I need to do. I won't be stopped now." Getting up, he stepped forward and tenderly took Sailor Moon back in his arms. "Thanks for knocking some sense in me, Kunzite," he added.

"You're welcome," the general answered drily. He exchanged a look with Zoisite, and the two stood up. "It appears we've accomplished our mission, my Prince. It's time we took our leave."

Mamoru nodded. The generals then held out their hands, each holding a small crystal which they presented to him. "These are our crystallized forms," Zoisite explained at his questioning look. "So long as you have them, then we will be at your side, in a sense."

"What about Jadeite and Nephrite?" Mamoru asked, suddenly remembering his other two guardians.

"Nephrite has...something he needs to do," Kunzite answered. "He will return to you when he is ready. As for Jadeite, you'll find out soon enough."

As Mamoru took the stones, the two men stepped back, and bowed to him one last time before disappearing. The surrounding white light also faded away, leaving the dark-haired young man back in his own apartment, holding a de-transformed Usagi in his arms. A glance at the clock showed that no time had passed.

With a sigh, he sat down on the couch. He felt drained, both emotionally and physically. But as he looked down at the peacefully sleeping girl in his arms, he also felt a clear sense of purpose, and more importantly, love. 'I won't let you down again, Usako. I promise.' Bending down, he gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead, then rose and headed for the kitchen. It was suppertime, after all, and food was very important for this particular guest.

To be continued...

* * *

End Notes: For those who don't know, Danburite is from the Codename: Sailor V manga, which deals with Minako's adventures before she meets the other Senshi. I only know him by description, as I don't own that manga, so I won't attempt to explain any further than that. 


	4. Ch4: Mysteries and Revelations

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: Final exams are evil. :( Anyway, thanks again for the reviews, and I'm glad to see people are asking questions; it helps to know what interests you when I'm writing the later chapters. But to answer them... First, about Sailor Moon's 'new' powers...you have to keep in mind that this series takes place right after the first season, so it's still a bit early to pick up new powers...especially for Sailor Moon, who already has so many of them lined up. I will eventually develop the Senshi's powers beyond what's given in the anime...just not yet. In the case of Jadeite, one reason is that he's the only one in the anime who wasn't killed. There are other reasons, but I won't get into those here, since we still have a story to get to. And Randa-chan...if you're guessing what I think you're guessing, then you'd be right. :) Either way, though, that little plotline won't come into play for...oh...seven or so more fic series. I have grand plans/delusions, people. ;) Now, on to the story, and hope you enjoy!

**

* * *

**

**Hearts of Darkness**

Part 4: Mysteries and Revelations

by JG Chan

**MONDAY**

"AAAAAHH, I'M GONNA BE LATE AGAIN!"

Usagi charged up the stairs to the shrine, wondering why the heck there had to be so many. She had actually been to class on time that morning, since Mamoru had woken her up early. Unfortunately, she'd also spent most of the class dreaming about the night before, and so had given the wrong answer to Haruna-sensei's question...after she'd been asked five times already. And so to detention she went.

'Still,' she giggled to herself, 'how can I **not** dream about that.' She had been woken up to the smell of food from Mamoru's kitchen, and they had spent the rest of the evening together, mostly just talking. Queen Serenity had assured her that she could spend the night with him, and indeed her school uniform was mysteriously there at his apartment, so the two had taken full advantage of their uninterrupted time. It still made her smile giddily now, as she caught her breath at the top of the accursed stairs.

"Finally!" Rei said as Usagi stepped in her room. "Did you forget your way here so soon after you got your memories back?"

Usagi turned up her nose at the miko. "Hmmpf! For your information, Rei-chan, I had detention."

"And I suppose you're proud of that?"

"Oh, shut up, you big meanie!" The blonde stuck her tongue out at Rei, who quickly reciprocated. Round thirty-something of the tongue wars began.

"Will you two stop acting like children?" Luna interjected with a sigh. She then turned to face the only male in the room. "Alright, Ryo-kun, what is it that you wanted to show us?"

"Yes, Luna-san," Ryo responded politely, still not quite sure how to address the cat. He took a folded piece of paper from the pocket of his uniform and held it out for the others to see. "Do any of you recognize this?"

The girls stared at the drawing. It seemed to be a strange symbol of some sort, with an upturned crescent moon outline in the background.

"What the heck is this thing?" Usagi asked, blinking. The complicated design was making her dizzy.

"It appears to be a rune, like the kind used in old European religions," Ami explained. "But it doesn't match any of the ones I've seen before, or anything I can find on the Mercury computer..."

"A Glyph of Banishing!" Artemis exclaimed suddenly. Luna jerked her head up, her eyes wide.

"A what?" Makoto asked on behalf of the confused humans in the room. The two cats, meanwhile, were frowning in concentration.

"It's a type of magical symbol drawn on the foreheads of those sentenced to exile, back in the Silver Millenium," Luna told them. "It prevented them from ever returning to the planets of the Silver Alliance. It wasn't used very often, though, because so few of the **real** evildoers ever surrendered."

"Does this mean we're dealing with someone from the past?" Minako asked.

"Probably," Artemis replied.

"Definitely," Luna corrected grimly, "and I know exactly who it is."

"Who?" The question came from several places at once.

"Prince Athan."

Everyone except Artemis stared blankly at the black cat.

"Who is this Prince Athan?" Rei asked. "Someone from the Dark Kingdom?"

Luna ignored her. "How did you come across this?" she asked Ryo.

"About a week ago, I started having visions again, and this was one of the images I saw. All I knew was that it was connected to you guys, though."

"Luna, what does all this mean?" Ami asked. "And who is Prince Athan?"

Artemis and Luna exchanged glances, hesitant. Then Luna nodded and began her story. "It all started ten years before Princess Serenity and the rest of you were born, during one of the early skirmishes with the Dark Kingdom..."

_"It can't be..." Queen Serenity whispered, collapsing back into her seat. "He can't..."_

_Prince Andrinor averted his eyes. He couldn't bear watching the Queen in such pain. They were in one of the small antechambers to the great hall of the Moon Palace. He had just returned from the asteroid Ceres, where the planetary armies had established a temporary outpost to combat the Dark Kingdom forces. "I'm sorry, your Majesty," he said formally. "I have failed in my duty, and will accept what punishment is due."_

_"Oh Andrinor," Serenity managed a sad smile at him. "Please don't start blaming yourself. I know Metallia's power, and I know you have done everything you could." She sighed. "I...I had hoped this would never happen..."_

_"Mother?"_

_The two turned towards the door. A young boy, about seven, stood at the threshold with Luna behind him. "What's going on, Mother? Where's Father?"_

_Serenity hesitated slightly, then decided to tell the truth. "Sweetheart, your father, he's...he's dead."_

_She felt her heart tearing again at her son's expression, as did Andrinor, who had always been close to the royal family. At first, the boy looked ready to burst into tears, but slowly, his expression changed to one of anger, and then determination._

_"It's the Dark Kingdom, isn't it?" he asked through clenched teeth. "I'll make them pay for this. I'll get stronger and avenge my father!" He yelled the last part as he ran out the door. Serenity buried her face in hands, finally allowing the tears to come._

_"I'm sorry, Athan..."_

"Prince Athan was as good as his word," Artemis continued. "By the time he turned fifteen, he was at the frontlines of the war, pushing back the Dark Kingdom at every turn. But then..."

"What happened?" Minako asked.

"The enemy suddenly disappeared. There were no more attacks on the Moon Kingdom, and no sign of youmas anywhere. Everyone thought we'd won and started celebrating, except for Athan. He was still obsessed with getting revenge for King Leigan, and started to look for ways to get to the Dark Kingdom. After a while, he just disappeared without a trace."

Luna took up the story again. "Not long after that, Queen Serenity and Prince Andrinor of Jupiter were married, and the Princess was born a year later. During the festivities, Prince Athan returned and accused the Queen of being unfaithful to his father. And then...he killed King Andrinor."

"What!?" Rei and Makoto both shouted. Usagi just sat there in stunned silence.

"He went after the Princess next, but Queen Serenity used the Silver Crystal to overpower him, and he was captured. Since he was still a member of the royal family and a hero of the war, his life was spared. He was banished instead. That was the last anybody heard of him."

There was silence for a while as everyone digested the new information. Both Rei and Luna were watching Usagi to see how she would react, but so far she just sat there, staring at nothing.

"Can't fit everything inside your head, Usagi?" Rei asked. The others looked up worriedly when she got no reaction.

"Usagi-chan, what's wrong?" Ami asked, shaking her friend by the arm. Still no reply. Luna frowned, and jumped up onto the blonde's shoulder.

"USAGI!!" the cat yelled into Usagi's ear, causing her to jump four feet in the air and both of them to land on their faces.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU LUNA!" Usagi screeched. "YOU ALMOST MADE ME DEAF!"

"Calm down, Usagi-chan," Minako said, wincing. "You had us worried there. What's bothering you?"

Usagi pouted a bit, then sighed and looked down. "I...I'm scared, guys," she admitted softly.

The girls looked at each other, concerned but unsure of what to say. After a moment, Usagi went on, her tone dead serious.

"I mean, all this time, I never knew anything about my family back then, except for Mother. And now, I find out I have an older brother who killed my father, and I might have to fight him, and...and I don't know if I can do that..." 'And you'll all be in more danger because of me,' she finished silently.

"Well, who said you had to fight him?"

The girls blinked, then turned as one to Ryo, who quailed a little under the sudden concerted stare. Nonetheless, he managed a slight reassuring smile at Usagi. "Tsukino-san, when I saw that symbol, I never got any sense of good or evil from it. There's no telling what connection this Prince Athan has with what's happening now. He could be working for the Dark Kingdom, but he could just as well be trying to redeem himself by helping you, or have been reborn without any memories. We don't **know** what he'll do."

"I guess...you might be right," Luna conceded reluctantly. "Still, I find it hard to believe he would help us, considering..."

"You knew him, didn't you?" Rei asked. "What was he like?"

Luna thought for a moment, trying to sort through her memories. "He was very quiet, even as a boy. He rarely got into trouble and was kind to others. He was intelligent; he'd grasp whatever we taught him quickly, especially battle tactics. In short, he's like Usagi-chan's opposite."

"Luna..." Usagi grumbled, sweatdropping.

"It's the truth," the cat replied, shrugging. "Anyway, near the end of the fighting, he started to change. He became focused on revenge to the exclusion of everything else, and even more withdrawn. Then he disappeared,  
so I can't tell you anything more."

"Do you think he could have been manipulated?" Artemis asked. "He did seem rather crazed when he attacked Andrinor."

"I...don't know."

"What about these new monsters?" Ami added. "Could they have any connection with Prince Athan?"

"No," Artemis answered. "The chimeras have always been around the Dark Kingdom. It's really a matter of preference on their commanders' part. Chimeras are more brutish and aggressive than youmas, and physically stronger, but very few of them can gather energy or be subtle."

"If only we knew what the Dark Kingdom wants..." Luna said.

"You mean other than to destroy the world?" Minako quipped.

"Rei-chan, what about that thing we found last night?" Makoto suddenly asked. All eyes turned to the raven-haired miko, who went to her desk and got the object in question.

"There's some dark energy coming from it," Rei told the others, "but it's pretty weak. I haven't been able to figure out what it does, though."

Ami took out her computer and placed it in front of the small pod. The others watched as she typed rapidly, eyes scanning back and forth across the lines on the screen.

"It looks like some kind of receiver," she said finally. "It's taking in small amounts of energy from around itself and sending it somewhere."

"You mean we found their energy gathering thingy?" Minako asked excitedly. "Does that mean we can foil their plans if we can find all of them?"

"That's certainly possible," Luna agreed. "Ami-chan, can you trace where it's sending to?"

The blue-haired girl shook her head. "I tried already. It's not any kind of wave or particle, and it's too faint in any case. I could work on it more with time, though."

"That's really pretty clever of the Dark Kingdom," Artemis mused. "It's small and very hard to detect and trace. And with enough of these hidden around Tokyo, they **could** gather a lot of energy over time."

"That's just what we need," Rei groaned. "A subtle enemy. Like we don't have enough to worry about."

"Well, it's a good thing you found the pod, then," Luna replied. "Now we just need a way to detect them more reliably. Where did you find it, anyway?"

Makoto snorted at that, and quickly put up her hands as Rei scowled at her. The others glanced between the two curiously.

"Rei-chan?" Usagi prodded.

The miko cleared her throat. "It was in a back alley behind a restaurant," she said nonchalantly. "Nothing really special."

The others seemed to accept that. "Why don't you let Ami-chan keep it, then?" the black cat went on. "We'll see what she can come up with using her computer instead of spiritual power. This might give us the chance to stop the Dark Kingdom in their tracks, if all goes well. In the meantime, you girls should stay alert."

That signalled the end of the meeting, and the girls began to file out. Minako and Makoto went first, talking excitedly about a supposed love letter the blonde found in her locker, followed by Ami and Ryo, who were just as excitedly discussing the capabilities of her computer. Usagi lingered behind as her guardian trotted out, her expression still somber.

"Are you alright, Usagi?" Rei asked, coming up behind the smaller girl.

"Yeah..."

The miko gazed at her friend for a moment, then moved forward and hugged her fiercely from behind.

"Rei-chan?"

"You should cheer up, Odango-atama," Rei said with a smile, her violet eyes twinkling. "After all, we can't lose with someone as beautiful and talented as me on our side." She winked and gave a thumbs up. Usagi stared at her blankly for a moment, then giggled and hugged her friend back.

"Thanks, Rei-chan. Seeya later!"

With that, the blonde went quickly down the stairs and out of sight. Rei stared after her for a long while, thinking of nothing in particular, until her grandpa called for her inside.

* * *

Peridot walked swiftly towards the throne room of the crystal palace. Actually, 'slunk' would have been a more appropriate term, as the vulture-faced general always seemed a bit sneaky. At the moment, however, he carried an air of self-importance as well, convinced that his progress would earn his master's favour. The guards at the doors stepped aside for him as he entered the great hall and bowed to Adamantite. 

"The first step has been taken without mishap, my Lord," he reported. "If all proceeds according to plan, the Senshi will be destroyed within the week."

"Good for you, Peridot."

The bald man raised his face to glare hatefully at Selenite, who had just appeared from behind the throne. The tall warrior returned the gaze coolly, almost daring him to a fight. Peridot's gnashed his teeth as he struggled to contain himself.

"This is no time for such foolishness," Adamantite interrupted coldly. "General, you are to proceed with your mission. In the meantime, send some troops to shake the Senshi's confidence. The spell works far better if the subject is fearful."

"A brilliant idea, my Lord," Peridot responded obsequiously, backing away from the throne. He threw one more hard glance at Selenite before leaving to select his troops.

"Do not underestimate Peridot, Selenite," the dark lord admonished. "He can be a formidable foe if you provoke him."

Selenite shrugged. "I know what I'm doing, my Lord. The old vulture is far from being a match for me."

"In any case, you **will** wait until our plan is completed before you start playing with him. He is still of use to me."

"I suppose so..."

* * *

'So, the Senshi really did defeat Beryl, huh?' Jadeite mused. His spirit self smiled wryly. 'I bet she never saw **that** coming.' 

"You've found out a few things, I see." It was the voice again.

'I have a few old tricks up my sleeve,' Jadeite replied easily. Since their last exchange, he had gradually recovered his internal power reserves, enough that he could confidently probe outside of his prison. 'And to what do I owe this visit?'

"Peridot's plan has begun, and will be moving rapidly. You will need to help the Senshi soon, or they will not know how to defend against it."

Jadeite frowned. 'I still don't have the energy to travel that far.'

"I will lend you my strength, if necessary."

'But why?' Jadeite pressed. The question had been gnawing on him for some time now. 'Why are you helping the Sailor Senshi? Who **are** you?'

There was a brief moment of silence, as if the entity was trying to decide what to say. Then, the shadows around Jadeite's crystal tomb began to swirl and coalesce into human form. Although the trapped general could not open his eyes, his spirit self clearly saw who was standing before him.

'You!' Jadeite exclaimed incredulously. 'How could this be?'

The person smiled imperceptibly. "It's a long story, old friend..."

* * *

Rei sat down with a sigh in front of the sacred fire. At least Usagi seemed in a better mood when she left. It wasn't like her to be so serious. She wondered suddenly what had happened to Usagi the day before, when she had felt that wave of power. She was sure it was somehow connected to their Princess, but had forgotten to ask... 

A horribly familiar noise suddenly interrupted her train of thought. She ground her teeth together and got up. Moments later, she flung open the door to Yuuichirou's room with flames in her eyes.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU **NOT** TO PRACTICE IN HERE!" she screamed.

The unwitting recipient of her wrath cautiously poked his head up from behind a chair. He had jumped back there the moment he had seen Rei's face.

"W-whoa...calm down, Rei-san. I really didn't mean to get that loud, really..."

"Well, you did. Now, I have to meditate and I don't want to hear anything from you, got it?"

He gulped. "Yeah, no problem."

She glared at him for another second, then turned to leave.

"Wait, Rei-san!" Yuuichirou called after her. "I...uh...look, I'm really sorry to have bothered you. I shouldn't have gone and played in here."

Rei paused, then let out a big breath and turned around again. "It's alright, Yuuichirou. I've just got a lot on my mind recently, and I probably over-reacted."

"That's okay." He gave her that goofy grin of his. "I'm pretty much used to it by now."

Almost in spite of herself, Rei smiled back at him before leaving his room. He could be very disarming at times. She settled herself back down in front of the fire, and emptied her mind. Soon, she could feel the flames roaring around her as her spirit dove into its embrace, trying yet again to discover the answers she needed...

_She was walking slowly through a quiet garden. The flowers were in full bloom, carpeting the ground with rainbow colours. Before her, a palace rose in all its glory, and sounds of reveling could be heard from inside. 'I'm in my dream,' she thought, quickening her pace slightly. 'Maybe this time, I'll finally know what this is all about...'_

_A soft sound interrupted her train of thought, and she saw her past self, Princess Rei of Mars, sitting on one of the benches. She was sobbing, mourning a loss that Rei herself still could not remember._

_"Princess? What are you doing here?"_

_Both Reis turned towards the trees to the left of the bench. Someone was there, and as he came closer, the earthlight revealed the blue and green uniform of one of its officers. Then, his face came into the light, and Rei stepped back in shock, her hand coming up to stifle an instinctive cry. Unable to move, she could only watch as Jadeite sat down next to her past self and attempted to comfort her. And when they left, she clearly saw the unmistakable look that passed between them, and then everything faded to black as she returned to her body._

Rei opened her eyes, gasping. Now that she know who she was dreaming of, bits and pieces of memories started to surface. Their relationship back then had been slow in developing, but stormy and passionate once it began. More than that, she could feel the spark of their lost love buried within her soul. Deeply shaken, she hurried back to her room and buried her face in her pillow, trying to shut out the memories, to find some kind of peace so she could think.

* * *

**WEDNESDAY**

"ALRIGHT!! 50,000 points!" Usagi crowed, startling several other players. She stood in front of the Sailor V game, beaming as the screen displayed her score in big, flashing digits.

"Hey Usako."

"Mamo-chan!" She hurled herself into his arms, almost sending both of them crashing into Motoki's counter. He laughed and set her down. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"My classes are over for today, so I thought we could go eat and maybe see a movie together. I had a feeling you'd be here after school."

"Great! I'll call my mom and tell her I won't be home for supper."

He followed her at a more leisurely pace as they left the arcade and she headed for a phone booth. 'Finally,' he thought, 'we can spend time together, just relax. Gods, I can't understand why I never admitted what a treasure she was...'

His thoughts were interrupted by a stab of pain at the back of his head, a warning from his danger sense. Almost out of reflex, he dashed after Usagi and threw both of them to the ground as a shadow passed over the phone booth.

"Mamo-chan! What...?" Usagi asked.

Still covering her body with his, he motioned behind him with his head. Looking over his shoulder, she saw the falcon-headed mantis crouched on the sidewalk while the top half of the booth fell, sliced clean through.

"Mamo-chan..."

"Run to that alley over there and transform," he whispered tersely. "I'll buy you some time."

"But..."

"Don't worry about me. Just go."

She nodded and crawled out from under him. He got up and stood between her and the chimera, who was preparing to launch another attack. She quickly ducked into the alley and raised her communicator.

"Guys, me and Mamo-chan were just attacked by a chimera outside the arcade, we need help," she said shakily. There was no answer. Her fear started to grow. "Guys? Is anybody there?"

There was a bit of static, then Makoto's face appeared, and she was already transformed.

"Sorry, Usagi-chan, but I've got my hands full right now," she said above what sounded like explosions in the background.

"Same here," Ami's voice added. "I'm afraid you're going to have to fight alone." Then the communicator went silent.

Usagi almost collapsed on the spot. 'They know,' her mind screamed. 'They know who we are...'

The sound of a lamp post hitting the ground snapped her out of her momentary despair. 'Mamo-chan's still out there!' she thought. Her hand went to her brooch.

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

Sailor Moon turned the corner just in time to see Mamoru rolling away from the chimera's slashing blades, panting. She decided then and there to forgo her speech. Glancing around, she quickly formed a plan.

"MOON TIARA ACTION!"

The creature looked up and quickly ducked under the shining projectile. What it didn't realize, though, was that the disc was aimed at the only standing lamp post nearby, which just happened to be behind it. It screeched when the heavy pole crashed into it and pinned it down, even as Sailor Moon instinctively summoned her newly acquired Moon Rod. "MOON PRINCESS HALATION!" turned the chimera into a pile of dust, and Sailor Moon ran to her beloved.

"Are you alright, Mamo-chan?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm...fine..." he answered between gasps. "You did great, Sailor Moon."

She smiled briefly at the compliment, but quickly remembered something. "Mamo-chan, the others were attacked at the same time as us, and I need to check on them. Would you go to the shrine and wait for me there?"

He nodded, and she ran back into the alley. 'Mako-chan's place isn't too far from here,' she thought, jumping onto a roof. She wasted no time getting to her friend's apartment, where a column of smoke was coming from Makoto's floor. Sailor Moon landed on the small balcony and peered inside. Sailor Jupiter was facing off a youma with a gun where its left forearm should have been. There were large holes in the walls and furniture, confirming that the gun was **very** functional.

Just then, the youma raised her gun and fired another shot. Jupiter dove to the side, releasing an electric charge she had been holding in her tiara. The attack hit its target and sent it stumbling back into the wall. Taking the opening, Sailor Moon slid the door open and pulled out the Moon Rod again.

"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

Jupiter gaped first at the floating dust where the youma had been, then at Sailor Moon.

"What was that!?"

Sailor Moon blushed a little. "Umm, I forgot to mention I had a new attack. Are you alright?"

"**I'm** fine, but..." Jupiter looked around. The only thing still standing in her living room was the television. She sighed. "This will be **hell** to clean up..."

Sailor Moon was about to reply when her communicator beeped. Rei's face appeared on the small screen. "Are you okay, Sailor Moon?"

"Jupiter and I are fine," she replied. "How about you and the others?"

"We're okay. Luna just got here, and she's calling another meeting right now."

Sailor Moon nodded and signed off. As she and Jupiter got out on the balcony, she couldn't help shivering a little. 'They know who we are,' she thought again. 'They can come after us anytime now...or after our families. Oh, Mother, what can I do to protect them? What can I do?'

* * *

Peridot snickered gleefully as he watched the replay of images from his flying eyes. Granted, it was unfortunate that none of them were killed, but he could clearly see the grim realization in their faces. His Lord was right; this will certainly help in his own mission. 

"Enjoying yourself, Peridot?"

With a choked cry, the bald general whirled around to face the tall man standing in a corner. "Selenite!" he hissed angrily. "What right do you have to come in here?"

"I am Lord Adamantite's right hand, after all," Selenite replied with a faint smile. "I am simply making sure all is going well, so that he will not need to waste time on you."

Peridot snarled at the infuriating words, but then began to grin slyly. "You might have the advantage now, bastard," he spat, "but don't count on it lasting. Once I succeed, you might find that you're no longer the Lord's favourite."

"You, Peridot?" Selenite replied impassively. "What have I to fear from you? Even now, all you can do is pride yourself on a success that rightfully belongs to our master, while your own mission lies neglected. Was your real plan to wait for them to die of old age and claim it was your doing?"

The bald general fumed, his temper rising again. "You go too far, upstart!" A green light began to gather about his form. He raised his hand, intent on striking with full force...and faltered when Selenite appeared right before him and simply gazed into his eyes. The twin black orbs bored deep into his mind, whispering of untold horrors. With a strangled gasp, Peridot stepped back, the green light fading.

Selenite continued to gaze emotionlessly at his opponent, then turned away. "Our time will come, vulture," he said in parting. "If the Lord doesn't tire of you first." With that he disappeared into the shadows.

Peridot glared murderously at the spot for a moment, then spun around and went to his desk. Taking out a small package, he headed for the door. The spell might not set with only a few days' preparation, but the risk of that was small. "Just you wait, Selenite," he growled. "I will make you swallow your words...and I'll rip them back out from your throat, along with your heart!"

* * *

"Is everyone alright?" Luna asked, glancing around the room. All the girls were present, along with Artemis, Mamoru, and Ryo. Grandpa Hino and Yuuichirou had gone out earlier, so they had the entire shrine to themselves. 

"Minako-chan was able to find me in time, so I'm okay," Ami said.

"My apartment's completely trashed," Makoto grumbled.

"It seems the Dark Kingdom has discovered our everyday identities," Ami observed. "That puts a serious risk on our families and friends."

"Maybe they won't think to do that," Usagi suggested hopefully.

"That's really big 'maybe'," Artemis replied. "We can't afford to let our guard down now, with stakes this high."

Usagi sighed. "I know. Wishful thinking, I guess."

"So, what do we do now?" Minako asked.

They looked at each other but said nothing, each deep in their own thoughts. Usagi went over to Mamoru and laid her head against his chest. Being so close to him was soothing, and she definitely needed to be calm right now.

"Rei-chan, has the fire shown you anything?" Luna asked after a while.

Rei hesitated slightly. "No...not really."

"How about you, Ami-chan?" Luna moved on. "Have you made any progress with the receptor Rei-chan found?"

"Sort of..." Ami pulled out her computer and the pod from her bag, laying them out on the table. Motioning for the others to gather behind her, she hit a short sequence of commands, bringing up a radar screen display on the monitor. The others could clearly see the small blip indicating the pod.

"Nice..." Makoto whistled. "Does that mean we can go and destroy all of these? I don't know about the rest of you, but I want some payback!"

Ami sighed. "I'm afraid it's not so simple. Ryo-kun and I tested the program yesterday, and we've only got a maximum range of twenty meters. Even assuming I can make it work on something other than the Mercury computer, we'd still have to comb Tokyo street by street."

"Darn," Minako grumbled. "So we're back to square one, huh?"

"We do have a few more ideas we could try," Ryo added, "but we'll need more time to work on it."

"I might be able to help as well," Mamoru offered. "I have some experience in information-gathering from when I was searching for the Rainbow Crystals."

Luna nodded. "Thanks, Mamoru-san. In any case, I guess that's all we can do at the moment. Ami-chan, Ryo-kun, we'll be counting on you. As for the rest of you, pay close attention to those around you. We don't know if the Dark Kingdom will target your families, so we have to play it safe."

Everyone nodded, and got up to leave.

"Why don't you stay over at my place for now, Mako-chan?" Minako offered. "We have lots of space, and I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind."

"That's great! Thanks, Minako-chan."

"At least now, we have someone who can cook..." Artemis muttered.

"I heard that, furball!" Artemis grinned and ran off before Minako could catch him. Meanwhile, Usagi turned to Mamoru, her eyes betraying her anxiety.

"Mamo-chan..."

"It's alright, Usako," he smiled at her. "Go home and look in on your family. We can always go out some other time. I'll go back and see if I can ask Kunzite and Zoisite some questions."

"Thanks, my love." They kissed, and went their separate ways. Soon, everyone except Ami and Rei had left.

"Is there something wrong, Ami-chan?" Rei asked, glancing curiously at her blue-haired friend. The latter looked like she wanted to say something, but was unsure whether she should. Finally, she squared her shoulders and looked Rei straight in the eyes.

"Rei-chan, are you hiding something from us?" she asked bluntly.

The miko blinked confusedly for a moment, not quite able to match the question with her friend's usual demeanor.

"Umm, of course not, why would I be?" She laughed a bit forcedly, but Ami's expression didn't change. Rei stood her ground before the serious sapphire gaze for less than a minute before she averted her eyes in defeat.

"How did you know?" she asked.

"I saw it on your face when Luna asked about the fire," Ami replied, sitting down on the walkway. The courtyard was empty, and there was a soothing quietness to the air that often comes with sunset. "And you've been more preoccupied than usual lately, even given the new enemies." She smiled up warmly at her friend. "I just thought you might want to share it and lighten the burden."

"Look who's talking," Rei replied teasingly, sitting down as well. "So why else do you ask?" she added, noting Ami's slight start with a smile of her own. 'She's not the only perceptive one here...'

"...When the chimera attacked earlier," Ami began, her eyes distant, "I couldn't do anything to it. My bubbles slowed it down, but when I tried to attack it physically, it was much too strong for me. I ended up leading it to a empty lot and playing hide-and-seek with it until Venus showed up."

"Ami-chan, if you're worried that..."

"No, Rei-chan, it's not that." The blue-haired girl flashed a genuine smile, before continuing. "The point is, I realized again that my strength isn't in fighting; it's in thinking, and the more I know, the better I can use that." Her tone became firm and resolute. "So...I want to do my best for everyone; I want to learn as much as I can about our enemies and ourselves, so that when the time comes, I can make it that much easier for us to fight...and win."

She turned towards Rei, and blushed a little at the admiration in the miko's eyes. "So I'm sorry if I'm prying, Rei-chan," she finished, "but if you know something we can use, then I'd like to know."

"Wow, Ami-chan..." Rei kept her gaze on Ami a moment longer before grinning. "You know, I pity whichever enemy thinks you're the weakest one of us, Ami-chan. Alright, I'll spill..."

And so she did, starting from the dreams she had had since over a week ago. Strangely, the telling was not as hard as she'd imagined it; it felt natural somehow. Ami listened attentively, not speaking until Rei had finished with the revelation of Jadeite's identity after their previous meeting.

"Do you think it means anything, Rei-chan?"

The miko nodded emphatically. "I'm sure it does. The spirits can be cryptic a lot of the time, but there's always a reason behind their visions." She grimaced then. "Of course, I don't know what this meaning is, so..."

"The dreams seem pretty positive to me," Ami mused. "Maybe it means he will be on our side this time."

"Maybe...but I wouldn't base any plans on that." She sighed. "It's all just so much to digest. I have no idea how I feel anymore. Is there some kind of bond between us, like with Serenity and Endymion? Or is it just a one time thing, and he's just as likely to still be against us?"

"I think you should just give it time," Ami suggested. "Things will become clearer, I'm sure, and we'll all be with you no matter what." She smiled and got up from her seat. "In the meantime, I should get back to work. Thank you for trusting me with this, Rei-chan."

Rei nodded, and watched bemusedly as the blue-haired genius crossed the courtyard and disappeared down the steps. She sat there for a while longer, staring at the sky with a renewed sense of peace, before going back in to start supper.

To be continued...


	5. Ch5: The Snare Closes

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: Whee, new chapter! I think I said in an earlier note that I don't believe in villains holding back. Well, that's about to play out in this chapter, so consider yourselves warned. That said, I hope you find this installment worth your while, and comments of any kind are always welcome...now on to the story!

**

* * *

**

**Hearts of Darkness**

Part 5: The Snare Closes

by JG Chan

THURSDAY

"Man, I'm exhausted!" Usagi said, stifling yet another yawn. She and Naru were walking home after school. Strangely, the street was almost deserted, as if some feeling of impending disaster had kept people away. If that was the case, though, Usagi was too tired to notice.

"No kidding!" Naru replied. "You nodded off three times today. If Haruna-sensei didn't have a date tonight, you'd be in detention for sure!"

"I've just had so much to do these days..." Usagi sighed. 'Three major attacks in less than a week, not even Beryl was that bad,' she thought.

"Does this have anything to do with that guy you call 'Mamo-chan'?" Naru asked, eyes sparkling.

"What? Oh, no, it's not him," Usagi answered quickly. 'It'd be nice if it **were** just him,' her mind added.

Naru giggled knowingly, and was about to pursue the idea further when a scream froze the words in her throat. Further down the street, a chimera had appeared, and it was heading directly towards Usagi. This one was vaguely catlike, with a horn on its snout and tentacles instead of arms. It screeched as it neared the two girls and lowered its head to charge.

"Aww, another monster? Why me again?" Naru wailed.

"Come on, Naru-chan!" Usagi shouted, grabbing her friend and dragging her into a side alley. The ran through several turns, only to find themselves at a dead end.

'It's all my fault,' Usagi thought despairingly, slumping against a wall. 'Naru-chan's in danger because of me...' She looked at her friend who was nervously watching the corner where they came from. A high-pitched scream could be heard, getting closer and closer...

'Well, I guess I have no choice.' Standing in the middle of the alley, Usagi put her hand to her brooch.

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER, MAKE UP!"

Naru watched, stunned, as her best friend transformed into Sailor Moon in a flurry of ribbons. "No way..." she whispered.

Sailor Moon smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry, Naru-chan, I'll protect you. Now try to find someplace to hide. That thing's only after me, so you'll be safe if it doesn't see you."

Naru nodded and went behind a dumpster at the end of the alley, just as the chimera sprang into view. Sailor Moon struck her pose.

"Listen up, sleazebag! You can come after me all you want, but I will not allow you to put my friends in danger. For love and justice, I am the pretty sailor-suited soldier Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I'LL PUNISH YOU!"

The chimera had started charging midway through the speech, and Sailor Moon jumped just in time to avoid its tentacles. She landed behind it and kicked it in the back. Unfortunately, the beast was too strong even for Sailor Moon's enhanced strength. It whirled and lashed out with its tentacles. Sailor Moon ducked under the first one, but the second was aimed low and swept her off her feet. She landed on the ground, and the tentacles quickly coiled around her neck.

"Sailor Moon!" Naru screamed. Sailor Moon barely heard her. She was barely even conscious at the moment, as the chimera's grip tightened inexorably and a feral grin appeared on its face.

Suddenly, a rose struck the beast, paralyzing it for a moment. Tuxedo Kamen landed next to Sailor Moon and jabbed his cane hard at the chimera's throat, causing it to loosen its hold. He quickly picked up Sailor Moon and jumped back.

"Are you alright, Sailor Moon?" he asked worriedly.

"I'll...be alright," she replied as she got her breath back. "Thanks for saving me again, Tuxedo Kamen-sama."

He smiled. "Anytime, Sailor Moon. Now, why don't you call the others?"

"No time," she replied, seeing the chimera also recover and preparing to charge again. "I have to keep it from finding Naru-chan."

"Naru's here?" Tuxedo Kamen exclaimed.

Sailor Moon nodded, stepping forward to face the chimera. She raised her hand and whispered the words 'Moon Tiara'. Her tiara came off and started to glow in her hand, but she did not throw it. As the beast charged, intending to impale her on its horn, she dashed forward as well, ignoring Tuxedo Kamen's warning shout. At the last instant, she stepped aside, holding out her hand in the chimera's path. The shining tiara opened a large gash in the creature's side as its momentum carried it past Sailor Moon. It turned around, screeching furiously, only to see Sailor Moon already spinning her Moon Rod.

"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

Sailor Moon sat down, panting hard as the dust slowly settled. Tuxedo Kamen and Naru both came over to her.

"Are you alright?" Tuxedo Kamen asked.

"Yeah, just tired," she replied. "That took a lot out of me."

"You were great, Usagi-chan!" Naru told her. Tuxedo Kamen's head came up sharply in surprise.

"I'm just lucky I didn't trip on anything." Sailor Moon turned to the startled man. "Sorry, Tuxedo Kamen-sama, but I had to transform in front of her," she apologized.

Tuxedo Kamen glanced at Naru, then shook his head and de-transformed. "Don't worry about it, Usako," he said as he helped her up. "You did what you had to."

Sailor Moon nodded and de-transformed as well, and the three of them got out of the alley.

"Maybe I should walk you girls home," Mamoru suggested.

Usagi was about to agree, but Naru nudged her. "Usagi-chan, remember what your dad would do."

The blonde sweatdropped. "Oh, yeah..."

"What's the matter?" Mamoru asked.

"Tsukino-san is pretty infamous when it comes to Usagi-chan dating boys," Naru explained with a smirk. "I wouldn't wanna be you if he sees you two together, superhero or not."

"Oh..."

"Don't worry, Mamo-chan," Usagi assured him. "We'll be fine by ourselves."

He didn't look quite convinced, but he didn't try to argue. "If you say so, Usako. But promise me, if you're ever attacked again, call your friends. I don't want you risking your life alone like that."

"I will, Mamo-chan."

He leaned down and kissed her, and then headed for his own apartment. Usagi watched him walk away, her eyes sparkling. 'Someday, my love,' she promised. 'Someday we will be together, with no fighting, no Dark Kingdom, nothing to keep us apart...'

* * *

Minako looked at her watch again. It was past 4:30, and no one had showed up. In fact, this area of the park seemed to be completely deserted at the moment, and that made her uneasy. When she'd first arrived, she had found the quiet spot kind of romantic, but as the light began to fade, it started to feel more and more eerie instead. 

She glanced down at the letter in her hands. It wasn't signed, and it had been the second one she had found in her locker. It wasn't even that spectacular as far as love letters went, but she had been happy all the same.

This one held more than just a letter, though. She looked at the small diamond ring that was now on her finger. It looked like a real diamond, though it was small, and the ring itself was plain. It gleamed softly in the dim light, but it didn't seem quite so exciting now.

'It...couldn't have been a prank, could it?' Minako wondered, unconsciously biting her lip. 'I mean, the ring must have cost something...who'd go to that kind of trouble just to trick someone? But...why hasn't he showed up?' She reread the letter quickly. 'No, this is the right place. Then...'

A noise shook her out of her thoughts, coming from the trees behind her. "Who's there?" she called out, tensing herself. What if it were the Dark Kingdom?

There was a snickering sound, and then to her surprise a pair of boys stepped out of hiding. They both wore the Shibakouen boys' uniforms, but she didn't recognize either of them.

"You owe me 5000 yen, Akayama," one of them said with a sneer.

"Whatever, Kazu," the other replied. "Jeez, I can't believe these girls always fall for the same thing."

"W-what? What are you talking about?"

"Still don't get it?" the one named Kazu laughed. "You just won me 5000 yen, babe. And I wasn't the one to buy the ring this time, either. Must be my lucky week."

"Heh, I guess there's no helping that we picked a dumb one this time," Akayama added, leering openly at the blonde.

"You...you tricked me?" Minako said incredulously. "You did all that...just for some sick game of yours? A game!?"

"Hey now, don't get angry," Akayama said smoothly. "I mean, yeah, it's kind of a game, but we aren't going to leave you hanging like that."

"Right, right," Kazu agreed. "Hey, why don't you just give the 5000 to her, Akayama? I'm feeling generous tonight."

Whatever else was said at that point was lost on Minako, who could only stare at the pair of boys in shock. 'How did this happen?' her mind thought numbly. 'Why...?'

A hand touched her shoulder, and with a jolt she slapped it away. Not wanting to see or hear those two any longer, she did the only thing her shell-shocked brain could think of: she ran.

Kazu and Akayama watched the fleeing blonde, their expressions slowly dulling to nothing. A shimmering light enveloped the air around them, and when it faded, a tall chimera stood in their place. It resembled a large beetle, with two sets of humanoid arms and a glowing sphere at the end of a prehensile tail. A warphole opened behind the creature, allowing Peridot to step out.

"Excellent, Photoru!" the bald general gloated. "She is sure to fall to the spell now, and when she does, the rest of the Senshi will soon follow. Selenite! You'll see yet what it means to mock me!" His delighted cackle was cut off as a warphole closed about him and his chimera, leaving the park in stark silence.

* * *

Rei sat down wearily in front of the fire, stifling a yawn. It was evening already. Her grandpa had gone to bed, and all her chores were done. Now she could finally get down to some Senshi business...'hopefully without falling asleep and setting myself on fire,' she thought wryly. 

Sitting upright, she shook off her fatigue and cleared her mind, as she so often did. The flames roared in response as her spirit poured itself into their embrace. Her body completely still, Rei reached out with her mind. Even as the fire was fueled by wood, her will was fueled by the power of the flame, allowing her to reach out into the distance, searching for signs that Ami's computer might have missed.

"Rei..."

Rei tensed up in surprise. The spirit she encountered was familiar somehow, but she knew of no one who could reach her like this, while she was communing with the fire.

"Rei, can you hear me?"

The mental voice was so familiar. She was sure she had heard it recently, but couldn't quite place it. Then, it dawned on her.

"Jadeite? You're still alive?"

She could feel his spirit smiling. "I'm glad you remembered."

"But how did you find me?"

"Magic, Rei. Even with my body encased in crystal, I can still use some of my powers. We really need to talk."

"Can I trust you?"

There was a pause. "You can, and I would like you to." Jadeite's voice was subdued. "But I suppose that's your decision to make. Will you at least hear me out?"

"...Alright. What's going on with the Dark Kingdom? They were never this active before."

"There's a new commander in charge, an important general from the old wars of the Silver Millenium. His name's Adamantite. He's planning on destroying the Senshi, and his trap is already set..."

Rei tensed up again. "A trap?"

"Yes. He sent his henchman Peridot to find out your identities, and then..."

* * *

Yuuichirou hummed to himself as he headed towards the meditation room. He'd hoped that Rei would be finished by now, and that they could talk. He stopped abruptly as he turned the corner. There, standing in front of the door to the great fire, were a pair of monsters. The smaller one was a female with white skin in a lion tamer's outfit. She held a whip in one hand and wore a delicate crystal crown. The hulking beast behind her resembled an armadillo with the head of a crocodile. It stood motionless, as if awaiting orders. 

"W-what the hell!?"

The female turned at the sound of his voice and raised her free hand. Her lips curled in a savage grin as a bolt of energy flew towards Yuuichirou. He jumped back out of the way, just as Rei opened her eyes.

"Minako-chan..." she whispered, still a bit shocked. Then she saw the pair at the door, and quickly pulled out her wand.

"MARS POWER, MAKE UP!"

The youma snarled and came into the room, followed by the chimera. "Well, well. Nice to finally meet you, Sailor Mars."

"What do you want?"

"General Peridot knew you were the most likely to cause trouble, so he told us to keep an eye on you. It seems he was right."

Mars glared at her. "Do you **really** think you can stop us? I know your plans now, and we'll deal with the Dark Kingdom once and for all!"

"Not if you die here! Attack!"

The crown on the youma's head flashed, and the eyes of the chimera lit up. It sprang over its mistress and landed in front of Sailor Mars, claws raised. Mars jumped aside, calling out her attack.

"FIRE SOUL!"

The stream of fire struck the chimera's arm and dissipated harmlessly. It let out a rumbling growl and charged her again, tearing through the tatami mats as Mars jumped out of the way.

'Maybe if I aim for the face,' she thought. As the chimera turned around, she prepaped to hurl fire again. Suddenly, she felt something wrap around her foot and pull her down. She glanced behind her and saw the youma's whip binding her right ankle.

"Now you die, Sailor brat!" the monster screamed triumphantly, even as the chimera raised its arm to strike.

CRASH!

The crystal crown shattered into a hundred pieces. The youma whirled around angrily to see Yuuichirou holding his smashed guitar, ready to strike again.

"You pathetic human!" The youma extended her hand again and shot out another energy bolt. Mars screamed as Yuuichirou was slammed into the wall, a smoking hole in the front of his clothes. The youma turned around to finish Sailor Mars, and saw the chimera approaching her menacingly.

"What are you doing? Kill her!"

The beast ignored the order and continued advancing, claws outstretched. The youma's energy bolts did no damage to the chimera, and soon the two of them were locked in a deadly wrestling match, oblivious to their original mission.

* * *

'...So you think some of the older Dark Kingdom warriors could still function without Metallia's power?' Mamoru summarized. He was in his room, once again engaged in mental conversation with his guardians whose stones lay on his desk. He had discovered this new means of communication shortly after Sailor Moon had helped him settle his memories, and had taken full advantage of it to regain what knowledge he could of the past. 

"Yes, that's most likely," Kunzite replied, his stone pulsing. "There were many other servants of Metallia in the Dark Kingdom. Because they aren't turned humans like ourselves or even Beryl, their lives are not directly sustained by Metallia. They will be weakened with her death, but not destroyed."

"There's also frequent infighting between these creatures," Zoisite added, "as you might have guessed from our own actions before. That limits their numbers, but it also means that whoever's left will be the stronger ones. You need to be careful, Prince."

'That goes without saying,' Mamoru replied silently. 'Do you two remember any...'

His thought was cut short as he felt a jolt from his reawakening psychic senses, similar to his usual warning sense. 'That wasn't Usako,' he thought. 'It felt more like...Rei!' He bolted out of his chair and ran to the phone, then began digging through his pockets. Taking out a piece of paper, he dialed the first number he saw.

"Hello?"

"Ami-chan? It's me, Mamoru."

"Mamoru-san?" She sounded surprised. "What is it?"

"Rei's in danger. Call the girls and go to the shrine, quickly! Trust me!" Without waiting for an answer, he hung up and transformed into Tuxedo Kamen. Quickly snatching up his guardians' stones, he ran out onto his balcony, leapt onto a nearby roof, and disappeared into the night.

* * *

"Yuuichirou! Answer me!" 

Mars knelt next to her fallen friend, desperately shaking him by the shoulders. His eyelids fluttered open.

"Rei-san?"

"I'm here, Yuuichirou. Don't worry, I'll get you to a hospital, everything will be alright..."

"I'm glad you're safe, Rei..." He coughed. "...and...I always knew...you were special."

"Shh, don't..." she pleaded, tears stinging her eyes. She caressed his face with a trembling hand, parting his unkempt hair to look into those clear blue eyes of his that she never saw, and that she feared she would never see again.

"One last thing, Rei-san," he said, his voice weak but firm. "Promise me, you'll be happy...Don't let this drag you down...promise me."

"I promise," she whispered, and then she bent her head and kissed him, letting their bodies communicate their feelings without words. When she pulled away, his eyes were closed.

"At least," he said almost inaudibly, "this time, I can die in your arms..."

"NOOO!! YUUICHIROU!"

She collapsed atop him, crying out in the familiar agony of lost love that has plagued her for two lifetimes. For those final words had unlocked her memories, at last showing her who she had been mourning when she had begun to fall for Jadeite.

At that moment, the other Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen burst into the hallway. They stared in shock at Sailor Mars sobbing over Yuuichirou's body, while the youma and the chimera were still fighting each other in the meditation room. Sailor Moon moved to kneel beside her friend, and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Rei-chan," she said. "I know how much he meant to you. We'll all miss him very much." Unconsciously, her words echoed those used by Prince Endymion in the vision. Sailor Mars straightened and stood up.

"Thank you, Sailor Moon," she replied, and turned to look inside the room. The youma had finally managed to kill the chimera with several blasts to its face, and was trying to catch its breath. "She's mine," Mars declared, anger rising within her. Sailor Moon nodded wordlessly and stepped back, allowing Mars to face the youma alone.

"Well Sailor Mars, why don't we finish up what we started?" the youma said, beginning to gather energy.

"Yes, why don't we?" Sailor Mars dropped into a slight crouch, ready to fight. "You have taken away someone very precious to me, monster, and that I cannot forgive. In the name of Mars, I WILL DESTROY YOU!" She felt the power rushing through her veins, filling every inch of her body with burning heat. Beside her, the sacred fire surged in response and reached out to her with a tongue of fire. She calmly accepted it, letting the dancing flames envelop her body, adding their power to her own.

The youma yelled and flung a barrage of energy at Sailor Mars, only to have it deflected by the shield of fire. Sailor Mars regarded her enemy with steely calm until the youma broke off the attack, its energy spent. Then, she raised her arm, and the flames streamed upwards to gather in her palm.

"FIRE SOUL...BIRD!"

Her arm snapped forward. From her pointing finger emerged a brilliant creature of flame. Spreading its crimson wings, the bird flew straight towards the youma, and engulfed it in an inferno of vengeful heat. Then it disappeared, leaving only a pile of ashes on the floor.

* * *

"Sailor Mars, are you alright?" Mercury asked. 

"I'll be fine," she replied. The Senshi of Flame was kneeling next to Yuuichirou, holding his head. "He gave his life to save mine. The least I can do is give him a proper burial, but I don't know how to contact his family..."

"He sacrificed himself for you?" Venus asked, an odd catch in her voice. Her eyes were still puffy and red, evidence that she had been crying earlier. Mars raised her head in alarm, remembering what Jadeite had told her. She was about to speak when Venus interrupted her.

"You treat him like dirt and he still died for you!?" Her voice was becoming hysterical, and the other Senshi all stared at her.

"Venus..." Sailor Moon started to say.

"Why!? Why did he do that for a stuck-up, stubborn bitch like you? Why does everyone have someone to love but me? WHY!?"

"That's going too far, Venus!" Jupiter reached out to grab her friend's arm. Venus jerked away and, to everyone's horror, raised her hands to attack.

"CRESCENT CUTTER!"

The crescents of her attack had turned black, and instead of formind a beam, they separated and flew forward. One blasted the wall next to the Senshi, showering them with pieces of wood. The other one hit Jupiter squarely in the face, sending her crashing into the other wall.

"Jupiter!" Sailor Moon screamed as they gathered around their unconscious friend. Sailor Venus had disappeared in the confusion.

"We have to get her to a hospital!" Mercury said.

"**We** have more important things to do," Mars countered grimly. The others looked at her in shock. She turned to Tuxedo Kamen. "Can you take care of her, please?"

He nodded, and she addressed the two other Senshi. "We have to catch Venus before she can hurt anyone else...or herself. I'll explain on the way." They both nodded reluctantly.

Tuxedo Kamen watched as the three girls leapt into the night after their friend. 'Be careful, Usako,' he called out silently, and somehow he knew she had heard him. 'Please, Gods, let them overcome this obstacle safely.' He stayed there for only a short moment, then headed inside to help Jupiter.

* * *

"She's at the park!" Mercury said, looking up from her computer. The three Senshi started to run. 

"So what's wrong with Venus?" Sailor Moon asked Sailor Mars.

"She's under the spell of something called a Heart of Darkness." Mars told them. "It's a device the Dark Kingdom uses to twist a person's negative feelings so that they could control them. We have to find out where she keeps the thing and destroy it."

It didn't take them too long to reach the park. They landed on the outer wall, and saw Venus standing before the lake. They hurried up to her.

"Venus, snap out of it!" Sailor Moon pleaded. "You're under the Dark Kingdom's spell!"

Sailor Venus smiled, a smile devoid of warmth. Her eyes were clouded and shifty as she glanced from one Senshi to another.

"And who are **you** to talk, Sailor Moon?" she asked bitterly. "You're nothing but a whiny, klutzy crybaby, and yet **you** have an eternal love. I've been fighting longer than any of you, endured so much more! Why am **I** the one who's alone!?"

"Venus..." Mars said softly.

"Shut up, Pyro! You're still the worst one here. I HATE YOU! CRESCENT CUTTER!"

Because of the surrounding darkness, the Senshi had a lot of trouble seeing Venus' attack. Mars barely jumped out of the way; the other crescent landed a grazing cut on Sailor Moon's leg, sending her tumbling to the ground.

"I found it, guys!" Mercury called out. "It's a ring she's wearing under her right glove.

"Right!" Mars replied.

"SHABON SPRAY!"

Sailor Venus found herself enveloped in a thick mist. She looked around warily, her hand poised to shoot again. Suddenly, Mars jumped up from behind her and grabbed her. They struggled, and finally Venus was able to throw off her opponent. Sailor Mars landed in a crouch, clutching Venus' glove.

"Now, Sailor Moon!" she yelled.

Venus turned just in time to see Sailor Moon raise her Moon Rod through the thinning mist.

"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

The wave of pure energy knocked Venus back a few steps. She instinctively raised her arms to protect herself, and the attack hit the small diamond ring, shattering it. A loud shriek was heard as dark energy drifted away from the broken accessory.

"We did it!" Sailor Moon cheered.

"Wait, something's wrong," Mercury said. She was typing furiously at her computer. "The dark energy's not disappearing. It's surrounding her!"

The Senshi stared at Venus, who was looking around in confusion. Then her expression turned to panic as she looked down at herself. The others followed her gaze and saw that her feet had turned to stone!

"No, Sailor Venus!" Sailor Moon cried, running towards her friend. Unfortunately, she was not fast enough. Before their very eyes, Sailor Venus became a cold, lifeless stone statue.

"NOOOOO!!" Sailor Moon wailed, tears streaming down her face.

Mars looked stunned. "How could this be?" she asked no one in particular, unable to believe what she saw. She turned abruptly when she heard laughter. Something was forming above the lake. A second later, General Peridot's thin frame appeared from the warphole. "Surprised, Sailor failures?"

"You!" Mars shouted. "What did you do to Venus?"

"I didn't do anything, my dear girl," the general taunted. "**You** were the ones who did this to her."

"This wasn't supposed to happen!"

"Of course not," Peridot agreed mockingly. "However, my Lord plans for every contingency, and knew you would figure out his plan eventually, so he added a little twist to this particular Heart of Darkness. I'm afraid you've lost her for good!" And he burst out in evil laughter.

"No, this can't be," Mars whispered.

"...Rei..." The voice was in her head.

'Jadeite?'

"All's not lost yet. The spell was cast prematurely. There's still a way..."

Mercury looked around her. Sailor Moon sat weeping in front of Venus, and Mars was standing there doing seemingly nothing. It wrenched at her heart to see her friends like this. 'If only I could do something,' she thought.

"Well, that was fun," Peridot was saying. "Now, it's time to finish off the three of you! Warriors, come!"

Five chimeras appeared at Peridot's command, landing with a loud thud on the path nearby. They grinned and started towards the Senshi.

Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury got ready to fight, but Sailor Mars just stood there, her eyes unseeing.

"Mars, what's wrong?" Sailor Moon asked.

"There's no time," Mercury said, pointing at the rapidly approaching chimeras. "We'll have to keep them away from them."

"Alright." 'Please, Mars,' Sailor Moon thought. 'Whatever you're doing, please come back to us...'

* * *

Sailor Mars found herself in a realm of memories. All around her images of Minako's life floated by, displaying joy and sadness, love and pain. Resolutely, she kept from lingering and started to walk towards the darkness thta she felt deep in Minako's heart. As she walked, the background darkened, and more often than not the images around her showed times of loss and loneliness. Tendrils of shadow held these figments in place, smothering the light. Sailor Mars did her best to ignore them, lest her own resolve waver. She needed to focus on what she must do. 

Finally, she reached the core of Minako's soul, and there was Minako herself, crying within the choking blackness.

"Minako-chan..."

The blonde looked up, her eyes shiny with tears. "Rei-chan?"

Sailor Mars nodded and de-transformed. She knelt down next to Minako and put her arms around her friend's shoulders.

"Why are you here?" Minako asked dejectedly. "Why are you even bothering with someone like me?"

"Because I'm your friend," Rei replied gently. "And I care for you. We all do."

Minako kept her eyes downcast. "Even after what I said, what I did to Mako-chan?" she asked quietly.

"It wasn't your fault, Minako-chan. We all know that." Rei paused, thinking back on what had happened. "And besides, you were right, I really don't deserve Yuuichiro's love after I ignored him for so long..."

"Rei-chan, I didn't mean..."

"But love isn't like that, is it? When you love someone, you accept them for what they are. You forgive their mistakes, and help them become better people. That's what keeps all of us Sailor Senshi together, isn't it?"

"But what we have isn't true love!" Minako cried. "Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san have loved each other through ten thousand years, and all I have is a cursed love fortune! I thought I could live with that...be a soldier like I'm supposed to...but I can't!" Her tears were flowing again as she admitted her hidden feelings. "Every time I think of them," she sobbed, "all I can see is a love I don't have. I'm a failure. I'm supposed to be the Senshi of Love, but I'm the one who doesn't know **anything** about love..."

"Don't say that!" Rei snapped angrily. Minako looked up at her. "Don't degrade yourself like that, Minako-chan. You love us, or else you wouldn't be feeling so guilty right now. And we love you too." She took Minako's hand in hers with a tender smile. "I don't want to see you hurt like this, but hiding from it won't change a thing. We need you now, Minako-chan. Won't you come back with me? Won't you give yourself a chance?"

The two were silent as Minako seemed to consider the miko's words, her uncertain gaze fixed to the hand holding her own. Finally, she raised her eyes and smiled.

"Alright, Rei-chan. Let's go."

* * *

Standing in front of Mercury's unconscious form, Sailor Moon threw her tiara at the three remaining chimeras, forcing them back. She was beginning to run out of energy, though, and knew she couldn't keep this up for long. 

In fact, she was surprised that they had lasted this long. With Mars, Jupiter, and Venus out of commission, hers had been the only attack that could finish a chimera. And with two of the Senshi immobile, Mercury's mist would be more dangerous than beneficial, leaving them with precious few options.

With daring that had surprised Sailor Moon, Mercury had leapt into the middle of the enemy group, and somehow manoeuvered one of the chimeras into impaling one of its comrades. The chagrined creature had then fallen to Sailor Moon's attack, but another one had struck Mercury with a heavy swing of its fist, sending the Senshi of Water flying. And now Sailor Moon stood alone, tired but determined to defend her friends.

Peridot looked on with an appraising eye, still somewhat irritated at Mercury's unexpected tactics. He snapped his fingers, and Photoru appeared beside him. It surveyed the scene, then flew down into the trees behind the Senshi.

Meanwhile, Sailor Moon was bracing herself as the chimeras resumed their advance. Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her, and whirled around, prepared to strike. Instead, she gasped in surprise as Sailor Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen stepped up on either side of her.

"Jupiter! You're okay!"

"Of course," the brunette replied with a confident grin. "Now, let's finish this!"

Sailor Moon nodded and faced forward, bringing out her weapon. As soon as she did, however, two pairs of arms grabbed her from either side, and the Moon Rod was taken from her. Shocked, she glanced around at her two 'allies'.

"Jupiter? Tuxedo Kamen-sama? What are you doing?"

The two did not reply, as the chimeras began to move once more. Sailor Moon struggled as hard as she could, but their grip held firm. 'What's going on?' she thought, panic rising within her. 'Why are they doing this? Did another enemy get to them?' She whimpered as the lead chimera came in range. It raised a large clawed hand to strike, its fetid breath adding to the churning of her stomach. 'No...no...'

There was a thud and a startled grunt as Tuxedo Kamen landed on top of the attacking monster, driving his knee into its neck. At the same time, the arms holding Sailor Moon released their grip. Turning around, she saw a rose embedded in a blurring of the air as the two forms staggered together. They merged on contact, reverting to Photoru's beetle-like form.

"What...?"

"It's a shapeshifter," Tuxedo Kamen explained, moving to stand beside Sailor Moon with his cane held menacingly before him. "I'm sorry, Sailor Moon, I got here as soon as I could."

She shook her head. "It's okay, Tuxedo Kamen-sama," she said, relieved. Having him by her side was all the reassurance she needed. She got ready to fight again, just as a sudden gout of flame incinerated the still disoriented Photoru.

"You're late, Mars!" Sailor Moon teased, although her eyes said otherwise. Mars smiled back at her.

"Even with one more Senshi, you'll still lose!" Peridot smirked.

"How about two more, then?"

Stunned, Peridot turned just in time to see the statue of Sailor Venus explode into tiny shards, releasing the soldier of love from her prison. He could only gape as Venus gave him a cold stare.

"You. You've manipulated my feelings and made me turn against those I love. Because of you, I've put their lives in danger. And I will **not **stand for it." Before the astonished eyes of those present, Sailor Venus started to glow. Golden light enveloped her in a bright aura, illuminating the park with the power of a hundred spotlights. From that incandescent core, her voice was heard again, brimming with passion.

"In the name of Venus, I will protect my loved ones and punish those who hurt them!" The light dimmed, or rather, it coalesced into two shining crescents at the tip of her extended hand.

"CRESCENT BEAM...SHOWER!"

Countless rays of light streaked like meteors from Sailor Venus' finger to bombard the enemy. Under an onslaught of such power, the three remaining creatures quickly became dust, and even Peridot was pushed back as several beams hit his hastily raised shield. Shaken, he found himself alone against three Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen.

"Alright, Peridot, now you pay!" Sailor Moon yelled, raising her Moon Rod. The general paled, and retreated back into his warphole before she could attack.

Sailor Moon sighed and turned back to her friends, who were gathering around the awakening Sailor Mercury. Venus looked a bit uncomfortable.

"I...I'm really sorry, you guys," she apologized.

"Don't worry about it," Sailor Moon reassured her. "We know it wasn't your fault."

"How's Jupiter?" Venus asked.

"I took her to the hospital," Tuxedo Kamen answered. "Luckily she de-transformed before we arrived, so I gave them some excuse about an accident and came after you."

"What about Yuuichirou?" Mars asked. He gave her a strange look.

"You'll find out later, Mars. Trust me."

"We should go check on Mako-chan," Mercury said, but he shook his head.

"It's getting really late, girls, and you all have school tomorrow. She'll be fine."

"But..." Sailor Moon's objection was cut short when he asked her what would happen if her parents found out she was gone. Conceding his point, the five of them said their goodnights and headed to their respective homes, relieved that at least some of the danger was past. They missed seeing the dark figure standing under the trees, watching them leave with an undecipherable look in his eyes.

To be continued...


	6. Ch6: Forward Resolve

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: Firstly, Merry Christmas:) It doesn't look like we'll get any snow for Christmas this year, though...and that is seriously weird for where I am. But oh well, less shovelling for me. Other than that, I don't have much to say this time around, so...enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Hearts of Darkness**

Part 6: Forward Resolve

by JG Chan

"How nice of you to drop by, Peridot," Adamantite grated. His voice was cold, and his eyes burned intensely, sending chills down the spines of his assembled commanders. In the center of the throne hall, Peridot fell on his face begging.

"Please, my Lord! Please, just one more chance! I-I won't fail you again, I promise! My Lord, I beg..."

His last words never came out. Standing behind the bald general, Selenite jerked his heavy black spear out of Peridot's throat and disdainfully wiped the blood off on his uniform.

"One less incompetent..." he noted.

Adamantite smiled grimly. "At least he did succeed at **something**. Sailor Mars' grief and Sailor Venus' instant of despair have boosted our energy reserves enormously." He withdrew a small, innocuous-looking gem from his armour and looked out among his remaining servants. "Which one of you would care to take Peridot's place?"

A young woman stepped up to the throne. She was strikingly beautiful, with wavy purple hair, light blue eyes, and an attractive figure that was evident despite the featureless Dark Kingdom uniform.

"My Lord," she said. "I would like the honour of serving at your side." Her voice was sultry and cruel, betraying the danger behind her appearance.

"Very well, Amethyst." The dark lord raised his hand, and the gem floated down into the woman's palm. "I give you three days to come up with a suitable plan. Do not disappoint me, or the consequences will be...unpleasant."

"I understand, my Lord." She bowed and exited the room, along with the rest of the assembled commanders.

"She is quite an interesting one, isn't she?" Adamantite observed. "Her rise in position has been exceptional considering her age. She might actually have a chance against the Sailor Senshi."

"I suppose so..."

* * *

Rei opened her eyes to find herself lying on a couch instead of in her futon. Looking around, she saw that the others were there as well, and they were dressed in their royal gowns, just as she was. 'I'm in my dream again,' she thought.

"Rei-chan?" Usagi murmured sleepily, sitting up with a yawn. "What are you doing in my room? Wait, this isn't my room! Where am I?"

Rei blinked at her. "You mean you're really here?"

"Well of course I am, you can see me can't you?"

"I thought this was just a dream!"

"Then it would appear that we're all having the same dream," Ami observed.

"Mako-chan, are you alright?" Minako asked suddenly. The others all turned to the tall brunette, who was rubbing her jaw carefully.

"Don't worry, guys, I'm fine," she assured them. "Mizuno-sensei thought I might have a minor concussion, but nothing's broken or anything. Actually, I feel perfectly fine right now."

"That's because there was no reason to reproduce your pain," a voice said from the doorway. The girls turned to see who it was and gasped.

"Mother..." Usagi said softly. She got up and started towards the elegant woman, and tripped over her own dress, landing face first on the carpet.

"Yep, this is the real Usagi," Rei remarked.

"Come with me, all of you," Queen Serenity told them. She left the room at a stately pace with the girls following her. Everyone walked in silence until they reached a set of doors at the end of a long marble hallway. They opened themselves for the Queen, and she led the girls inside.

They were in a small chapel dedicated to the Moon Goddess Selene, guardian deity to the Moon Kingdom and creator of the Illusion Silver Crystal. Rei dimly noticed that, her attention primarily focused on the back of the room. There was a coffin there, and two men standing next to it, one of which she hadn't been expecting to see in the flesh. The other girls followed her gaze and started.

"Jadeite?" Ami exclaimed. "What are **you** doing here?" Her voice held no hatred, only disbelief.

"Don't worry, Sailor Senshi," the blond general replied. "I have no more quarrels with you. I'm here to pay my respects to an old friend...among other things," he added, looking at Rei. She did not return the look, turning instead to Mamoru, who stood in his royal armour.

"Is this what you meant earlier?" she asked.

Mamoru nodded. "After you left, Queen Serenity appeared and took Yuuichirou's body with her. She told me not to tell you anything yet."

"It is time," Queen Serenity announced solemnly from the altar, cutting off any further conversation. Instinctively, the princesses joined Mamoru and Jadeite around the coffin, with Usagi closest to her mother. Rei gazed down at the man whose love she had never properly returned. Lying motionless in the coffin, he seemed so different from the man she knew. She blinked, trying to clear away her tears.

"We are gathered here tonight to honour the passing of a great hero among us," Queen Serenity intoned. "This man, Kumada Yuuichirou, has given his first life to defend the Silver Alliance against the Dark Kingdom. Through his own love and willpower, he has reincarnated in the present and found his Princess. And once more, he gave his life in battle, this time to save the life of his beloved. For all his deeds, he has earned his place in the hall of our heroes." She nodded to Usagi, who took out her brooch. She closed her eyes in concentration, and the Silver Crystal rose in the air before her.

As everyone watched in awe, crescent moons appeared on both Queen Serenity's and her daughter's foreheads, and started to glow. The Silver Crystal began to shine in response, its pale light washing over Yuuichirou's body. A soft mist rose above the coffin, swirling slowly as the light of the Crystal suffused it. Between one instant and the next, Rei found herself staring open-mouthed at Yuuichirou's spirit, drawn from his body by the power of the Crystal.

Queen Serenity stepped around the altar and headed for the doors. "We'll leave you two alone now," she said softly to Rei as she passed the young priestess. The others followed the Queen, Usagi unconsciously taking Mamoru's hand and Jadeite trailing the others. He glanced back once at the raven-haired girl before the doors closed behind him.

"Ojii-san doesn't remember you at all, you know?" Rei said, her head bowed.

"I know. I never truly existed in your world, after all." His voice was slightly regretful, but otherwise calm.

"Yuuichirou, I...I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Rei," he answered. He approached her and enfolded her in his ghostly arms. Rei suppressed a cry of surprise; she could actually feel him! But his forgiveness only served to twist the knife in her heart, and she wept aloud as she clung to him.

"I've...treated you...so badly," she choked out between sobs. "I don't...deserve...to be...forgiven..."

"Don't say that, Rei. No matter what you do, I'll still love you. You can't get rid of me that easily."

"But Yuuichirou, I..."

He put his finger on her lips, silencing her. His other hand raked his bangs aside so that he could look her clearly in the eyes. She was surprised at the confident look in those light blue orbs, which gaze at her with undisguised affection. "I know you don't feel the same way, Rei." A guilty look passed through her eyes. "But I don't mind. And I don't want you to feel like you owe me anything. You promised me, Rei, that you wouldn't let me drag you down. That doesn't just apply to Sailor business; it goes for everything in your life. I will be happy knowing that you're happy, no matter who makes you feel that way. Remember that."

He kissed her lightly and stepped back. "Well, that's all I wanted to say. I'm glad I got this chance to see you again, Rei." As if on cue, the others came back in. Queen Serenity stood on Yuuichirou's right, and Usagi, still holding the Silver Crystal, took up a position on his left. The Crystal floated upwards, enveloping his spirit form in a pillar of light. Yuuichirou nodded to both Mamoru and Jadeite, then, as he began to fade, he turned back to Rei with that goofy smile of his. Smiling back through her tears, she mouthed a 'sayonara' to him, and he disappeared. The column of light surged through the roof and into the starry night.

Usagi went around to Rei's side and put an arm around her shoulders, while Ami, Makoto, and Minako gathered close. Rei smiled wanly at her friends and let them steer her away. She did not look at Jadeite. The former general stared after her as the girls and Mamoru left the chapel and returned to their sleeping bodies.

"Thank you for allowing me to be present, your Majesty," Jadeite said gratefully to Queen Serenity.

"Think nothing of it. I am glad that you have regained your true self, Jadeite." She gave him a sidelong glance. "You **will** watch over her, won't you?" she asked in a more casual tone.

"Of course, your Majesty."

Queen Serenity smiled one last time, and the chapel faded to darkness as Jadeite's soul returned to his body.

'Thank you too, old friend.'

"Don't worry about it," the voice replied.

* * *

FRIDAY

Minako hesitated in front of the white hospital door, her hand half raised to knock. She had thought she was prepared for this, but somewhere along the way up she lost her nerve. Makoto, being the way she was, would almost certainly forgive her...and in the back of her mind, that was what she was worried about. Because then, she'd be left to face the fact that she was the one who couldn't forgive herself, and she didn't know how to deal with that.

Pushing those thoughts aside, she took a deep breath and knocked. A voice inside said to come in, and she braced herself and pushed open the door.

"Mako-chanI'mreallysorryforwhatIdidIknowIwasunderaspellbutIshouldn'thaveletmyfeelingsgetthebestofmeandIunderstandifyou'restillmadatmeandI'lldoanything tomakeupforityoucanevenhitmebackifyouwantbutnottoohardcuzyou'rereallystrongand..."

She paused there to take a breath, and in so doing opened her eyes, which had been screwed shut the moment she entered the room. Her face immediately reddened. "Umm...hi."

"Yeah, hi..." the boy standing at Makoto's bedside replied. He had short brown hair and serious dark eyes, and wore an expression of utter confusion. Sitting in bed, Makoto sweatdropped at her blonde friend, then cleared her throat.

"Ah...Ken, this is my friend Aino Minako. Minako-chan, this is Shinozaki Kenta."

"Nice to meet you, Aino-san," the boy said with a polite bow.

"Um, likewise," Minako replied, still blushing. "Ah, well, I'm sorry to have interrupted you two, I can come back later..."

"Oh, no, I was about to leave anyway. No problem." Kenta smiled at her, then turned and handed Makoto a piece of paper. "I'll be in town for the rest of the week, so call me whenever you want. Also, Shiina-sensei said he'll take care of the apartment, so you don't need to worry about that."

"He didn't have to do that," Makoto protested.

"But he did anyway," the boy grinned. "I'll get out of your hair now. Be careful, alright?"

"Sure."

With another nod to Minako, Kenta left the room. The girls both stared after him for a moment, then Minako turned to Makoto with an uncertain look on her face. "Umm, Mako-chan, about what I said earlier..."

The brunette rolled her eyes. "Look, Minako-chan, if you really want to make this up to me, you can stop torturing yourself over it. The girls already explained everything to me earlier, and it isn't your fault." She mock glared at Minako. "Are we clear on that?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Minako replied meekly.

"Good." Makoto grinned suddenly. "It wouldn't be any fun if my boy-watching partner goes all guilty and depressed on me."

"Huh? But what about Kenta-kun?"

Makoto blinked, then sweatdropped again. "Minako-chan, we're not like that."

"Oh reeeally?" the blonde drawled with a sly look in her eyes.

"Really," Makoto replied seriously. "We grew up together after my parents died. He's just...a really good friend, that's all."

"Oh..." Minako said simply, seeing the slightly distant look in the brunette's eyes. Unlike what some people thought, she **did** know when not to press the issue. Her gaze dropped to Makoto's hands, which were absently fiddling with the piece of paper, and a sudden thought occurred to her. 'We really don't know much about each other's pasts, do we?' she mused. 'We've been so much more concerned with the Dark Kingdom so far...even though we hang out a lot, it never comes up...'

"Mako-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"What were you like when you were growing up?"

Makoto blinked. "What brought that on all of a sudden?" The blonde shrugged.

"I just realized we've never talked about our pasts that much...you know, our pasts **now**, not our past lives. It's okay if you rather not talk about it, though..."

Makoto considered that for a moment. Truthfully, she wasn't too comfortable talking about that; she still missed her parents terribly at times. However, since meeting Usagi and the girls, those times came only rarely. She looked up and, seeing only sincere interest in Minako's eyes, she smiled.

"Sure, why not?" she agreed. "But I want to hear about you too."

The other girl smiled back in acquiescence, pulling up a chair and sitting on it backwards, with her arms resting on the back. For the next hour or so, the two shared stories of their childhood adventures...and somewhere amidst the giggling and understanding hugs, everything became alright again.

* * *

SATURDAY

"So, what are we up against?" Makoto asked. She had been released from the hospital earlier that morning. All of them, including Ryo and Mamoru, were once again gathered at the Hikawa Shrine.

"The Dark Kingdom has a new ruler called Adamantite," Rei told them. "He's one of Metallia's older generals who somehow managed to gain enormous power." She made a face. "He wants to kill us and conquer the Earth by gathering lots of energy," she drawled sarcastically.

"That sounds familiar," Minako deadpanned. "Why **do** they have this fascination with Earth anyway? Aren't there any **other** worlds for them to pester?" Artemis gave her a warning glance. "Sorry."

"In any case," Rei continued, "we shouldn't underestimate this Adamantite. It seems that he's already gathered a sizable energy supply without directly draining anyone."

"Using those pods you found?" Luna guessed. Ami, who had been a bit glum since arriving, shook her head.

"I have some bad news about that," she said. "Those pods are fake."

"What!?" Rei exclaimed.

"I thought that they were hard to trace because the amount of energy was small," the blue-haired girl explained, "but I've been going at it the wrong way. **All** the energy those pods gather is being emitted back out. In other words, they were decoys."

"You've got to be kidding me..." the miko fumed.

"I'm sorry," Ami apologized. "I should have figured it out sooner."

"It's not your fault, Ami-chan," Luna assured her. She frowned. "This is bad, though. It means there's someone very competent on their side."

"That Peridot guy?" Usagi suggested. "He didn't look all that smart, though."

Rei shook her head. "I don't think so. Actually, we won't be hearing from him anymore." She grinned somewhat evilly. "Adamantite's decided that he's failed one time too many."

"Good!" Minako said fiercely.

"Unfortunately, he's been replaced by this woman named Amethyst. I haven't found out much about her, but she's probably at least as dangerous as Peridot was."

"Anyone else?" Mamoru asked.

Rei nodded. "There's also this guy named Selenite. He's Adamantite's second-in-command. Now that I think of it, he was the one in charge of the energy gathering, too. I'll bet the decoys were his idea," she said darkly. "Just wait till I get my hands on him..."

"Why are you so obsessed with that, Rei-chan?" Usagi asked in exasperation. Rei stuck her tongue out at her in lieu of an answer, a gesture the blonde returned eagerly. Ignoring the two for the moment, Artemis looked around the room.

"So, now we have some idea of the 'who'," he noted, "the question that's left is 'where'." All eyes turned to Rei.

"The North Pole. D-Point, to be exact."

"Now why didn't I think of that?" Luna muttered. Ami nodded glumly in agreement.

"Well, that answers that," Artemis said. "So now that we know, should we go ahead and attack them?"

Mamoru looked around at the girls. "I think it would be better if we wait a little," he suggested. "This Adamantite sounds like he could be as strong as Beryl, and he still has two generals working for him. It would be dangerous to attack them before all of you have gotten your powerups."

"But if we wait," Rei objected, "they might target our families next. We're more experienced now than when we fought Beryl. I think we have a chance."

"Yeah," Makoto added, "I'm tired of sitting around waiting. Let's go and finish this!"

"Still," Ami said, "it would be better if we had more information to work with. Charging into battle like this is...well, reckless."

Ryo nodded. "I agree with Ami-chan. Besides, we still haven't figured out how Prince Athan is connected to all this."

"I say we should go," Minako said. "We can't let them find more energy and get even stronger."

There was silence, as everyone turned to look at Usagi.

"It's your call, Usagi-chan," Luna said, watching the young girl carefully.

Usagi lowered her eyes. The expectant gaze of her friends only added to the turmoil in her head. On the one hand, she was afraid that the Dark Kingdom would indeed attack their families. She remembered her fear that time, when the evil Endymion had summoned an angry spirit near the hot springs that she and her family had been visiting. Her father had tried to defend them, and was almost killed. Usagi never wanted that to happen again.

On the other hand, she didn't want to put her friends in danger either. If Adamantite really was as strong as Beryl, one or more of them might very well die in the final battle. She wasn't going to let that happen again, either. 'I **hate** this,' she thought. 'I **hate** being leader. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to my friends, all because of some stupid mistake I made...'

As her thoughts and emotions whirled about in her mind, she felt a hand rest upon hers. She raised her head to look into Mamoru's eyes.

"Usako, I know this must be hard for you," he said gently. "Just remember, we'll all support you in whatever decision you make, because we all trust you." The others nodded earnestly. "Just do what your heart says, love."

Usagi smiled and nodded. She turned back towards her friends and took a deep breath. "Alright, we'll go. **But**," she added emphatically, "I want all of you to promise to be really, **really** careful."

"You should worry more about yourself, Usagi," Rei teased. "You'd probably trip and knock yourself out before we even get to the enemy."

"Hey, you take that back!" Usagi yelled indignantly.

"Oh stop that, you two!" Luna intervened before they began with the tongue wars. She looked thoughtfully at each of the girls before speaking. "Since we are going to attack, I was hoping we could work on your training first, but we don't really have time unless we wait another week. So...we leave tomorrow afternoon." She looked around and, seeing no objections, ended the meeting.

"Oh, by the way, Mako-chan," Ami started, rummaging through her schoolbag. "I have your homework from yesterday..."

"Homework? Now?" Makoto sighed. "Only **you** could think of that, Ami-chan."

"Well, we should do our best to keep up," the blue-haired girl replied reasonably.

Makoto grumbled something under her breath as everyone started to leave. Mamoru hung back, deep in thought. Once the others had left, he turned to Rei. "Jadeite told you all that, didn't he?" he asked without preamble.

Rei started in surprise. "How did you...?" Her eyes then widened as she realized she had just answered his question, and she scowled at him. "How did you know?"

"It wasn't too hard to figure out after seeing him in the dream," Mamoru replied. "And I have other sources as well." He reached into his pocket and took out his guardian stones. Rei stared at them perplexedly for a moment, and then her spiritual sense kicked in and she gasped.

"Zoisite and Kunzite? How's that possible?"

"When Sailor Moon helped me...recover my memories earlier, their spirits returned to me," he explained, glossing over the details. "They've recovered their true selves now that Metallia's gone, and they've been helping me recover some of my old powers as well."

"I see..." Rei said distractedly. The information had been a shock, but it also allayed some of her worries. She decided to be honest at that point. "Alright, yes, Jadeite did tell me. His body was trapped in crystal when he couldn't kill us, but his spirit is still free."

"Are you going to do anything about it?"

Rei hesitated, but there wasn't much point in lying now. "Yes."

"Then why didn't you tell anyone?" he pressed.

"I didn't think they would trust him," she replied. "Ami-chan knows already, but Luna would never agree. She can be stubborn sometimes, and she's not nearly as forgiving as Usagi."

"Who is, really?" Mamoru replied lightly. Rei flashed him a smile, but her expression grew somber again. Mamoru waited for her to continue, but then the answer suddenly hit him.

"You're afraid, aren't you?" he asked softly.

Rei started again, then averted her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're afraid the others will think you've forgotten about Yuuichirou."

She didn't answer.

"Rei, they're above that. They'll understand if you explain your reasons to them."

"But I don't KNOW my reasons!" she burst out suddenly, frustrated. "I don't know what I feel for Jadeite, if I feel anything at all. I don't even know what I'd say to him if I find him. I just don't know..."

She sank tiredly onto a cushion. Mamoru searched his mind for something to say, but found nothing. With a sigh, he turned to leave.

"Will you tell her?" Rei asked softly, not looking up.

He stopped. "No, I guess not. I know there are some things we have to figure on our own...I just hope you'll talk to her yourself when you're ready. I know Usako would be worried to death otherwise."

He left, and Rei stared after him, considering what they had just discussed, and the changes in the man she had once dated. Then she headed inside to do her chores.

* * *

Adamantite's eyes squinted as he thought over Amethyst's proposal. His right hand was clamped over the crystal orb that contained the energy he had gathered so far, that which would guarantee his victory when his assault began. Beside him, Selenite stood nonchalantly, seeming almost disinterested in the plan.

"And what makes you believe that you will be any more successful than Peridot was?" the dark lord asked. "The Heart of Darkness is a precious asset; your life would not be sufficient payment for wasting it."

"The strength of the Sailor Senshi lies in their teamwork," Amethyst explained. "If we can isolate one of them and attack at full force, she cannot survive. I will send a second youma to delay the other Senshi. My plan **won't** fail."

"Very well," Adamantite agreed. "We will see the outcome for ourselves. Proceed with your plan."

"Thank you, my Lord."

Amethyst disappeared in a rainbow-hued glow. Adamantite idly watched as the last glitters faded, then leaned back against the hard obsidian throne.

"Soon..." he whispered, his eyes burning brightly. "Soon we shall attack, and nothing can stand in our way. Nothing." The swirling energy in the orb surged through his hand and into his body, wreathing him in black flames. His gloating laughter echoed in the vast, empty hall. Selenite listened impassively for a moment, then disappeared back into the shadows.

* * *

SUNDAY

"Come on, Mamo-chan! Hurry up!" Usagi was waving at him impatiently, pointing at the ice cream stand down the path. He chuckled and hurried to catch up with her.

After breakfast that morning, having once again shocked her family with her presence, Usagi had told her parents that she would be spending the day with her friends...conveniently leaving out which 'friend' she meant exactly. They had met at the arcade, where Usagi had coaxed him into playing a fighting game with her, and then proceeded to beat the crap out of him. He quickly found himself free of spare change, at which point Motoki laughed and apologized for not warning him in advance.

Then they had gone to the park. The day was warm and sunny, with just a hint of a breeze. The sakura trees were starting to bloom, and soon hanami would begin. It was a lot like the day Mamoru had regained his memories, except this time there were no chimeras to ruin it. They had passed the lake, where a young couple had been having a picnic with their little boy. Usagi and Mamoru had stopped to watch as the toddler, squealing happily, waded out into the shallow water after a passing butterfly. Then, he turned around and, seeing his dad trying to sneak up on him, began splashing water at the young man. He waded out after his son and started splashing back, while his wife laughingly watched them.

Mamoru had felt Usagi tense slightly as they watched the scene, though her smile was as bright as ever. He had understood what she was feeling, though; he had been thinking the same thing. But before he could bring the subject up, she had turned bright, sparkling eyes upon him and said she wanted ice cream. Her gaze had melted his heart, and he had forgotten what he had been about to say as she led him along the path.

Now, the two of them sat on a bench on a small hill overlooking the lake, trying to keep up with the melting cones in their hands. Mamoru sneaked occasional glances at Usagi, who seemed totally absorbed in the task at hand. He wondered whether to speak up or not, even as he finished his ice cream.

"Usako..." he started.

"Today was great, wasn't it, Mamo-chan?" she interrupted. "I had so much fun! Especially at the arcade, I bet you didn't know I was that good, did you? That one time, you didn't even hit me once!" She giggled.

"Usako..." he tried again.

"You should have seen the look on your face! I heard Motoki-onii-san laughing at you, you know, but you were so desperate you didn't notice a thing! And I still won!"

"Usako..."

"Yep, I may be a klutz and everything, but no one beats me at video games!" she continued, her smile slipping a little. "Not even Rei-chan! So it doesn't matter that I'm no good at school, or that I cry a lot..."

"Usako..."

"...or that my room's a mess, or that I can't cook, or that...I'll never be...a good wife..." Mamoru could feel her trembling, trying to hold back her tears. He put a finger under her chin and lifted her face for a tender kiss.

"Don't say that, Usako," he said soothingly. "You're a wonderful girlfriend, and you'll be a wonderful wife and mother someday, I'm sure of that. You still have a lot of growing ahead of you, that's all."

"But Mamo-chan, what if we don't **have** that time?" she asked, tears rolling down her cheeks. "What if something happens tonight, and..."

"It'll be okay, Usako. I won't let you get hurt. They'll have to get through me before they can touch you."

"But that's what I'm afraid of! I don't want you getting hurt again because of me, Mamo-chan! I don't even want you to go!" She sniffed. "When I saw that family back there, I thought, how great it would be if it were you in the water with our child, and me watching you, knowing we'll always be happy together. I just can't bear to lose you again, Mamo-chan..."

Mamoru sighed and pulled Usagi closer to him. She was quiet, but he could feel her tears wetting his shirt, and her tremling. He remembered how strong she had been for him that night they confronted his tainted memories. But she was still just a fourteen-year-old girl, whose innocence was threatened at every battle. And he desperately wanted to protect that innocence, that part of her that made her so loveable, so able to love...

"Usako..." He stroked her hair with one hand while the other squeezed hers. "I wish I could tell you we'll be okay, but I can't. So I'll give you a promise instead: I will do my best to make sure **all** of us get back safe and sound." He leaned his cheek against one of her odangos. "Remember what you said that night? So long as we want to be together, we'll be alright... So don't worry, Usako. We'll be together, and we'll beat whatever the Dark Kingdom throws at us. We'll stop them once and for all, and come back. And one day, I'll take you and our baby for a picnic by the lake..."

Usagi snuggled closer to him, not saying anything, but he could feel a bit of the tension leaving her. 'I won't break my promise, Usako. I won't ever let you down again...'

* * *

"So, how about that one over there?" Makoto asked, pointing. "He looks just like my old sempai," she added almost automatically.

Minako followed Makoto's hand. "No way! That guy's in my class, and he's a total jerk!"

Rei was sweatdropping. "You guys sound like you're shopping for clothes or something..." she muttered.

"Oh come on, Rei-chan, like you haven't done this before!" Makoto shot back lightly. The three of them were at the mall, ostensibly because there was a sale at one of the stores. That idea, however, went out the window when Makoto and Minako planted themselves against a wall and started evaluating every passing guy. Rei was very tempted to just leave them there.

"Oh, look at that one!" Minako exclaimed, indicating a guy sitting at a table not far away. He turned around, saw the girls, and started coming towards them. "Wow, he is kinda cute...Mako-chan? Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Yeah, don't you think he looks just like your old sempai?" Rei snickered. Makoto didn't reply, just stood there with a strange expression on her face.

The man coming towards them looked to be a year or two older than them. He had almost shoulder-length auburn hair and wore an unbuttoned white shirt and jeans. His eyes were blue, but there was something in his gaze that made Rei uncomfortable. He also had a simple gold chain around his neck.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Makoto?" he asked. His tone was faintly arrogant and had just a hint of an edge to it. Rei and Minako stared at him in surprise, and were even more surprised when they heard Makoto's reply.

"What do you want, sempai?"

To be continued...

* * *

End Notes: Mwahahahahaha! The infamous one has appeared! What will happen next? You shall find out next week.


	7. Ch7: Tears in the Rain

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: And here it is, the long-awaited (or not) confrontation between Makoto and her sempai! And...yeah, I suck at announcements, so I'll just leave it at that. Also, I will be going away on vacation in about a week, and unfortunately, will not be back for about a month and a half. There are only two chapters left after this one, though, and I'll have them uploaded before I leave. So all's good. Now, on to the story...

* * *

**Hearts of Darkness**

Part 7: Tears in the Rain

by JG Chan

Ryo sat across the table from Ami, watching as she flipped through a small book with a look of concentration on her face. They were in a quiet corner of the public library, which was mostly empty at the moment. A small stack of larger books rested next to them, patiently awaiting their turn.

"Ami-chan..." he began quietly. Absorbed in her reading, the girl genius didn't respond. Clearing his throat, he tried again, a bit louder this time, and she raised her head.

"Yes, Ryo-kun?"

"Well..." he said uncomfortably. "Are you sure you should be doing this?"

"What do you mean?" Ami gave him a confused look, then glanced down at her book. "I'm pretty sure the Art of War is a good place to start studying battle strategy..."

"That isn't what I meant, Ami-chan...I mean, are you sure you should be looking at fighting this way, as something to study and plan for?"

Ami frowned slightly. "Ryo-kun, I told you before, didn't I? I want to do everything I can do protect my friends, and this is how I can help most. I know it's a bit late to be doing this, but I still want to do as much as I can before we leave..."

She was watching Ryo as she spoke, and could tell something was still bothering him. On impulse, she reached for his hand, but stopped short of it with a blush.

'Well, no one else is here...' she thought. Working up her courage, her hand moved the rest of the way and took hold of Ryo's. Startled, he looked up at her.

"Ryo-kun, what's wrong?" she asked him, and managed a small encouraging smile through her blush. His own cheeks flushed to match hers, and for a moment he just stared at their joined hands. Then, he sighed.

"I...I'm not really sure how to say it, Ami-chan," he answered. "I guess...I'm worried that you might change..."

"Change?"

"Knowledge changes people," Ryo continued pensively. "After I found out I was carrying a Rainbow Crystal, I began to see everything around me differently. So...I'm worried that, if you begin to go too deep, to think like some kind of military tactician, that you won't be the same you anymore..."

Ami was silent as Ryo finished with a frustrated expression, evidently struggling with how to express his feelings. His eyes came up to hers, searching for an answer, and she nodded.

"I know what you mean, Ryo-kun," she said. "To tell the truth, I've thought about it, too. And my answer is...I don't know." He opened his mouth to say something, but she shook her head, indicating that she wasn't finished. "I don't know if I'll ever change because of this...but I'm going to do it anyway." She smiled. "Because I know that my friends will be there for me. They'll keep me from becoming someone I couldn't live with, I'm sure. And..." Her blush returned. "...you will too, won't you?"

Ryo smiled and nodded, relieved. 'You'll never cease to amaze me, Ami-chan,' he thought fondly. He was about to say something more when there was a commotion coming from the entrance. Frowning, Ryo went to the edge of the bookshelves and peered around. He turned back to Ami, his face tense, and mouthed the word 'youma'. She nodded and headed to the back.

Ryo turned his attention back to the scene at the front. The youma was standing there, randomly breaking things. It was obviously waiting for a Senshi to show up. Its body was sleek, vaguely humanoid, and green, with an oily sheen about it. It had no face as such, only two red eyes on the top of where its head should be. As Ryo watched, it pointed at the checkout counter. A stream of liquid came out from its 'hand' and melted its way through the wood. 'Acid,' Ryo thought.

"Hold it right there, creep!"

The youma turned and saw Sailor Mercury. She faced it with no hint of fear. "The library is a place of knowledge and learning, and I will not allow you to deprive us of it. For love and wisdom, I am Sailor Mercury! Douse yourself in water and repent!"

The youma made a gurgling sound and raised both arms, sending twin streams of acid at Mercury. She dodged behind a table, summoning her visor even as the table melted. The youma sommersaulted and landed where it thought Mercury was hiding, only to find nothing.

"SHABON SPRAY!"

Mercury watched the youma as it spun around, trying to locate her. With her visor on, she had no trouble pinpointing it.

"Sailor Mercury? Where are you?" Sailor Moon's voice came through the mist. The youma turned and launched a spray of acid. There was a surprised 'Huh?' and a thud, but no scream of pain. Mercury quickly took out her computer and placed herself in line with the youma and Sailor Venus.

"Venus!" she called out. "Aim this way!" She raised her computer, revealing its flashing screen. An instant later a beam of light briefly illuminated the mist, followed by a grunt. Mercury checked her computer. 'Four percent damage. This isn't working,' she thought frantically.

The youma retaliated with another stream of acid. Venus leapt out of the way, but only barely. By now, the mist was dissipating.

Mercury hesitated a bit, then stepped forward. 'Acids are harmless without water,' she reasoned. 'Water freezes or boils. But if it becames vapour, there's no telling whether it can still attack us, or what happens if we inhale it. So...' Gathering all her resolve, she reached within herself, searching for the source of her power. 'Please, let me be able to do this...' She felt a rush of strength, spreading from the core of her being to every part of her body. She called on it wordlessly, feeling the waves of cold gather about her. Droplets of water froze as they neared her, blurring her image with a thousand sparkles. She crossed her arms before her chest.

"SHABON SPRAY...FREEZING!"

A blast of cold bubbles surrounded the unprepared youma. Within seconds, it had turned into a solid block of greenish ice.

Recovering from her surprise, Sailor Moon gave Mercury a thumbs up, then snatched Tuxedo Kamen's cane and proceeded to smash the ice to pieces. "Take that, you monster!" Everybody else sweatdropped. Mars de-transformed and took the cane away from Sailor Moon.

"We don't have time to play around, Odango-atam," she scolded the blonde. "We need to go after Mako-chan."

"Huh?" Sailor Moon de-transformed as well and looked around. "Wasn't she with you?"

Minako shook her head. "We were at the mall, and this guy came up to us and started to talk to her about taking over some dojo or something. When he left, she called Kenta-kun and told him to meet her at the train station. Then she ran off, and Mercury called, so we couldn't go after her."

Usagi blinked. "Huh?"

"She called him 'sempai'," Rei said. "I guess he's the famous sempai she keeps talking about, but something about him feels wrong. I think we should follow her in case anything happens."

"But how?" Mamoru asked. "Did she say where she was going?"

"That's not a problem," Ami interjected. She had kept her computer out after de-transforming, and typed a few commands into it. "There, I found her. She's on the Chuo Line right now, heading west."

"Alright then, let's go," Usagi said, and they started off towards the train station.

* * *

Makoto and Kenta stepped out of the station and looked around. They were at one of the smaller stops between Hachioji and Mt. Takao, facing one of the few wooded areas around Tokyo. A road led from the station to the nearest cluster of residences, but the two soon turned onto one of the smaller paths branching off of it. 

"It's been a long time since you've been back, hasn't it?" Kenta remarked, his voice hushed.

"Yeah," Makoto replied in the same tone. These woods held many memories and special significance for the two of them, so much so that they felt loud conversation to be disrespectful.

They followed the path into the woods. Makoto glanced around, taking in all the familiar sights that she thought she wouldn't see again for a long time. Over on one side, there was that crooked tree that she used to climb on to look at birds' eggs. And ahead of them was the small creek with the worn stepping stones that she used to cross every day. Her eyes moistened, and she rubbed at them absently, her hand straying briefly to the barely noticeable curved scar on her jawline.

"It's too bad we had to come back for something like this," Kenta said. "Are you sure Kyogo-sempai was serious?"

Makoto nodded. She had known Kyogo very well, and she had been a bit surprised that he would go this far. Still, she'd realized that her sempai had only broken up with her because of their sensei's apparent preference for her. Of course, back then, she still had a lot of respect for him, and was so upset by the break-up that she ended up injuring someone in a fight. That's when she had decided to go live on her own, away from the memories of this place.

'So now I'm finally back,' she thought wistfully. 'But why are you doing this, sempai? After so long, why can't you just let it go?'

They reached the end of the path and stood in a clearing. It was littered with a variety of martial arts training props, and across it stood an old-fashioned dojo. The words 'Shiina Dojo' were displayed proudly above the wooden gate.

Makoto and Kenta exchanged a glance and walked through the courtyard to the main doors. Inside, there were about ten young men and boys gathered in groups and talking quietly. A few of them saw Kenta and waved to him.

"What's all this about?" he asked one of them.

"Some guy came in half an hour ago asking to speak with Shiina-sensei. They went out back."

Kenta nodded, and he and Makoto headed for the door to their sensei's private training area. It was another clearing behind the dojo, smaller than the one in front. In the middle of it stood Kyogo and an older man. Makoto stepped forward.

"Shiina-sensei..." she said, her voice trembling with emotion. The old man turned around. His white hair was tied back in a short ponytail, and his face was wrinkled. Otherwise, he showed no signs of his age as he stood tall and unbowed. His training gi was baggy, but Makoto knew that underneath them he was all muscle. The hard, keen eyes softened when he saw her.

"Makoto! I'm glad to see you again," he called out in a gravelly voice, stepping forward with arms open. She ran to him and embraced him, the man who was almost a second father to her.

"Don't I get a hug, Makoto-**chan**?" Kyogo asked mockingly. She let go of her sensei and glared at the auburn-haired youth.

"Why don't you just go back home, sempai?" she said. "You have no business here."

"Actually, I'm told our dear sensei here neglected to cross out my name from the student rolls when I left. That means I have the right to succeed him as master of this dojo."

"I was going to give you a second chance," Shiina-sensei growled angrily. "I thought you would come to your senses eventually. It looks like I was mistaken."

Kyogo smirked. "Nevertheless, I have issued my challenge. By your own antiquated rules, there's no turning back. Now, who's going to fight me."

"Sempai, stop it!" Makoto yelled.

Kyogo ignored her, instead unwrapping the bokken he had been carrying. Before she could say anything more, however, Kenta stepped in front of her, holding his own bokken in a ready stance. The fight was about to begin...

* * *

"Are we there yet?" Usagi whined. 

"No, Usako," Mamoru answered patiently. The four girls, along with Mamoru, were on the train heading west, with Ami tracking Makoto on her computer. The sky was overcast, threatening to rain at any moment.

Five minutes later, Usagi looked around. "Are we there yet?" she asked. Behind her, Rei snapped.

"THAT'S IT!" she almost screamed. "I CAN'T STAND IT ANYMORE! STOP ACTING LIKE A CHILD, USAGI!" Usagi watched as smoke seemed to come out of Rei's head, then burst out laughing. Rei's face turned redder.

"Stop it, you two," Ami pleaded. "Everyone's staring at us."

Rei sat back down, sulking. Usagi buried her face in Mamoru's shoulder, trying to muffle her giggling. The others just sighed, and hoped that they would get where they were going before someone got hurt.

* * *

"Ken?" Makoto asked. "What are you doing? You aren't taking him seriously, are you?" 

"It'll be fine, Mako-chan," Kenta replied. He threw a challenging gaze at Kyogo. "I'll just beat some sense into him, and then we can all get on with our lives like normal, non-obsessed people."

"Weak, Shinozaki," Kyogo countered. "I do hope you fight better than you bluff, or I might fall asleep."

Makoto was about to protest, but Shiina-sensei shook his head in warning. She gritted her teeth and moved back to stand with him, noting that Kenta had brought another pair of bokken for the two of them. "Why didn't you stop him, sensei?" she asked under her breath.

"Kenta knows what he is doing...and Kyogo is behaving strangely. Let us watch what happens..."

The two youths had already bowed and were now circling each other. Occasionally, one would lash out with a sudden swing or thrust, gauging the other's reactions. From the side, Makoto watched them as well, drawing her own conclusions.

Kenta handled his bokken with the certainty of much practice. With Shiina-sensei teaching him, she had expected as much. His strikes were methodical and precise, wasting no energy. His eyes were locked onto his opponents, steady and intense.

Kyogo, on the other hand, surprised Makoto a lot. He seemed almost nonchalant in his posture, yet his attacks were surprisingly powerful, more so than she'd expect from him even with hard training. She frowned, wondering if she was reading him correctly.

Suddenly, Kyogo sprang forward with his bokken held low, moving so fast that Makoto almost missed it. Kenta raised his weapon to block, but the older boy ducked under his guard and slammed the bokken into his midsection. He flew backwards to the ground, the breath knocked out of him.

Smirking, Kyogo stepped back as Makoto rushed to Kenta's side. He directed his gaze at the old master, whose eyes had narrowed suspiciously.

"What have you done, Kyogo?" the elder asked evenly.

"I've realized my potential, sensei," Kyogo replied with a bitter sneer. "Something you never wanted me to do, because then I'd surpass your precious Makoto..."

"Sempai?" Makoto looked up at him, startled. Shiina-sensei just shook his head.

"Is that how it seemed to you?" he asked sadly.

"Seemed? That was how it **was**!" Kyogo spat. "You trained her personally, as if she were your own daughter. No matter how hard I worked, she would always win, and you'd heap praise on her." He turned his glare to the kneeling brunette. "And worse yet, you never cared much about winning, did you? All **you** wanted was to play in the kitchen, or pick flowers, while the rest of us who **did** care about our art were stuck beneath you!"

"Sempai..." Makoto whispered disbelievingly. "Is that why you're doing this?"

"Of course it is." His eyes were wild now, full of rage and bitterness. "Shinozaki might have been too lovestruck to care, but I could never forgive you! You don't deserve to be here, and I will prove it once and for all! Now fight!"

He pointed his bokken at her, waiting for her to respond. Numbly, she picked up Kenta's bokken and stood, the weapon hanging loosely at her side.

"I don't want to fight you, sempai..." she said in a pained voice. "Please..." Those words only served to infuriate Kyogo, however, and he snapped. With a snarl, he charged forward with bokken raised, and brought it down towards Makoto's unprotected face.

* * *

"It's starting to rain," Minako said worriedly. "Do you think Mako-chan is alright?" 

"She stopped moving a little while ago," Ami replied as she led the way into the woods. "We should reach her soon."

"I have a bad feeling about this," Rei said.

"Do you think it might be a Dark Kingdom trap?" Usagi asked worriedly. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and she reflexively moved closer to Mamoru.

"We're almost there, Usako," he reassured her, then turned to the rest of the girls. "Come on, let's hurry." They nodded, and the group picked up the pace as they followed the path to the Shiina Dojo.

Far behind them, a pair of deep black eyes watched in silence. As the rain came down more and more steadily, the shadowed figure moved out from under the trees and headed for the dojo as well.

* * *

There was a resounding clack of wood on wood as Shiina-sensei's bokken appeared in front of Makoto, blocking Kyogo's attack. The brunette, however, still did not move. "Please, sempai, don't do this," she begged. 

"FIGHT ME!" Kyogo growled, pushing against the old man's bokken. Makoto shook her head, her tears falling with the first drops of rain. Dropping the bokken, she stepped forward and grabbed Kyogo in a fierce hug, burying her face in his shoulder. Stunned, the auburn-haired youth dropped his arms to his sides. Shiina-sensei kept silent, watching for what would happen next, while behind him Kenta was starting to recover.

"Why...why won't you fight?" Kyogo asked suspiciously.

"Because..." she answered softly. "I don't ever want to fight unless it's to protect my friends. Sempai, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I never realized how you felt." Her tone became firm. "But I won't fight you like this. Please..."

Kyogo seemed to shake himself as he stared down at Makoto. The hand holding his bokken wavered, as if torn between conflicting orders. Suddenly, a bolt of rainbow light struck him in the side, knocking both him and Makoto to the ground. A second bolt collided with Shiina-sensei as he rushed towards them, knocking him out cold.

"Mako-chan! Sensei!" Kenta screamed, struggling to rise. Makoto sat up as well, having not been hit directly by the blast. There was a shimmer of light under one of the nearby trees, and a purple-haired woman wearing a Dark Kingdom uniform appeared.

"Who the hell are you?" Makoto demanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" the woman replied haughtily. She walked over to Kyogo and looked down in mock pity. "And he was so promising, too. Such a shame he wasn't able to kill you."

"You made him do this!?"

"Why, yes, I did." The woman grinned and raised her arm. Casings of light appeared around Shiina-sensei and Kenta, trapping them.

"Let them go," Makoto shouted. "They have nothing to do with this!"

"Oh, don't worry, my dear. I'll release them after I kill you...not that it matters much anyway." She raised her hand again, and Makoto was encased in shimmering light as well. Smiling, she withdrew a cruel-looking knife from her belt...and dropped it as a red rose hit her wrist. "What...!?"

"Your evil plan will never succeed as long as we are together!" The Sailor Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen landed in the clearing. Sailor Moon struck her pose. "We will never let a friend fight alone! For love, justice and friendship, I am the pretty sailor-suited soldier Sailor Moon! In the name of the Moon, I'LL PUNISH YOU!"

"FIRE SOUL!"

The stream of fire scorched the ground where the woman had stood before she teleported away. The Senshi looked around, but couldn't see anyone. Suddenly, a larger barrier of light formed around them, trapping them as well. The woman reappeared next to Kyogo. "This is almost too easy," she gloated.

"You're Amethyst, aren't you?" Venus asked, stalling for time as Mercury worked on her computer.

"Very perceptive of you," Amethyst replied, picking up her knife. "And surprisingly fast, too. I expected my youma to keep you busy for a lot longer."

"You underestimate us, Amethyst," Tuxedo Kamen taunted. "You Dark Kingdom people never learn, do you?"

She didn't reply, instead kneeling next to Kyogo, her eyes fixed on Makoto. "Now, my dear, I would like to demonstrate what I will be doing to you. I think this boy here will be perfect as an example." Shackles of light bound Kyogo's limbs to the ground. Amethyst smiled, and stabbed the knife through his left wrist. He screamed in agony.

"Stop that!" Sailor Moon yelled. "Doesn't he work for you?"

"So?" Amethyst walked around to Kyogo's other side and sliced his other wrist, careful not to cut a major blood vessel. He screamed again. "Enjoying the show, dear?" she asked Makoto.

The brunette had her eyes closed against the tears threatening to come out again. Her fists were clenched and her knuckles slightly bruised from punching the barrier. "Why are you doing this?" she asked through clenched teeth.

"To hurt you, of course. Don't worry, your friends are next." The purple-haired woman then knelt next to Kyogo's right foot. "Besides, he's your enemy, isn't he? He even tried to kill you."

"You monsters would never understand! He's a person too, and I respected him. He doesn't deserve this! No one does!"

"Respect? For this wretch?" Amethyst snickered, drawing the knife along Kyogo's leg towards his ankle. "All he cares about is being the best. Given a chance, he would even kill the old man over there. What is there to respect?" She plunged the blade into his ankle, severing the Achilles' tendon. This time, he fainted.

"Mako-chan!" Mercury suddenly shouted, looking up from her computer. "You've got to save him! None of this is his fault. He's carrying a Heart of Darkness!"

"What?" Makoto stared at Kyogo's silent, bleeding form, and Amethyst standing over him with a smirk. Her mind flashed back to the memories of her childhood. After her parents died, Shiina-sensei had taken her in as a favour to her father, a close friend of his. She had become fast friends with Kyogo and Kenta, and they would often sneak out together to have fun. Kyogo would protest that it was wrong, but he always came along anyway. Even after he had started tensing up every time their sensei complimented Makoto, he had still been nice to her. And she could have sworn she had seen tears in his eyes as well, on the day they had broken up.

"So this is all **your** doing?" she asked in quiet rage.

"Looks like I've been found out," Amethyst admitted nonchalantly. "Still, what are you going to do about it?"

Makoto ignored her. She pulled out her wand and transformed into Sailor Jupiter. Behind the Senshi, Kenta gasped.

"SUPREME THUNDER!"

The lightning bolt hit the barrier from above, but it resisted. Jupiter glared at the smiling general, then started to focus her will. The air around her started to crackle with static electricity as she drew on the strength of her own spirit to create her attack.

"I won't **ever** let you get away with this, Amethyst! He had his entire future in front of him, and you took it all away! You used him, destroyed his honour, and in the name of Jupiter, I **WILL** PUNISH YOU!!" She could feel every atom in her body being charged with electricity, making her tingle all over. With a single thought, she willed all of this power to gather in her hands.

"SUPREME THUNDER...DRAGON!"

Her attack emerged and coiled into a vast lightning dragon. It pushed against the barrier, shattering it into a thousand shards of light. Roaring fiercely, it surged towards Amethyst. The surprised general raised a shield in defense, but the force of Jupiter's wrath broke through easily. She screamed as the lightning hit her and threw her back against a tree.

The casings around the others faded, and Sailor Moon rushed over to Kyogo's side. With a second thought, she detached the Silver Crystal and held it over the unconscious youth.

"MOON HEALING ESCALATION!" She called out her old attack, and smiled hopefully when it responded. The chain around Kyogo's neck glowed and dissolved as the positive energy overwhelmed the Heart of Darkness. His wounds closed as well, stopping the bleeding. Sailor Moon sat down on the wet ground, feeling drained.

"You little brats..." Amethyst snarled angrily. "Youmas!"

The Sailor Senshi braced themselves to fight...but nothing happened. Shocked, Amethyst looked around wildly. Seeing no reinforcements coming, she beat a hasty retreat back to the Dark Kingdom.

Jupiter rushed over to Kyogo's side, kneeling down next to Sailor Moon, and Mercury joined them after checking on Shiina-sensei.

"He'll be alright," she told Jupiter. "He's very healthy for his age."

"Of course," Jupiter replied absently. "How about sempai?"

Mercury knelt next to him and ran a program on her computer. She frowned and repeated it, and her expression became somber. She turned to Jupiter.

"I'm sorry," she said, "but his injuries were too severe. He's in no danger now, but he won't be able to use his hands and foot for some time..."

"No...this can't be," Jupiter cried disbelievingly. Her transformation faded, and she sank down over Kyogo's chest, weeping. "I'm so sorry, sempai. I'm sorry..." Kenta came over and held her, his own eyes misting over. Above them, the rain fell harder, washing away the blood, leaving only painful regret behind...

* * *

Amethyst stumbled into the throne room and limped forward painfully to kneel before Adamantite. The shadowy figure on the throne did not stir, but his eyes burned brightly. Amethyst risked a glance upwards, and immediately lowered her eyes. 

"Please, my Lord," she begged, "allow me another chance!"

"But **my dear**," Adamantite said in a mocking tone, "you **do** know the price for wasting my time and resources, don't you?"

The female general's eyes widened, and she whirled around, throwing up her shield against the expected spear thrust. The blast of power that hit her in the back took her by complete surprise. She fell down on her hands and knees, gasping for breath.

"Selenite isn't here right now," the dark lord told her in a deceptively pleasant tone. "So I'll be taking care of this. You should be happy, general; my way is much less messy."

Before Amethyst could scream, she was engulfed in hellish black flames and reduced to nothing. Adamantite's cruel laughter rang out in the dark hall, the only testament to her demise.

* * *

MONDAY 

Usagi sat in the shade of a tree to the side of the schoolyard with Ami and Naru. It was lunch period, and she was picking absently at her bentou, her mind seemingly elsewhere. Her friends were watching her worriedly.

"Usagi-chan, are you okay?" Naru asked.

"Yeah..." The blonde turned to Ami. "How's Mako-chan?"

"Okaa-san said she spent the night at the hospital," Ami replied. "I think she wants to make sure Kyogo's alright. Shinozaki-kun is there with her."

"Poor Mako-chan," Naru commented. She looked uncertainly at the other two girls. "Are you really sure you want to attack those monsters today? If they can hurt people like that..."

"I know, Naru-chan," Usagi answered. "I'm afraid too...but we **have** to go, or something like this could happen again..."

Ami and Naru didn't reply, but both reached out and squeezed Usagi's hand reassuringly. The blonde smiled at them, and they went back to eating in silence, each occupied with their own thoughts.

* * *

"Mako-chan..." 

Makoto stirred and shifted her position a bit. Dozing on and off on a chair all night had left her entire body as one big cramp.

"Mako-chan."

"Hmm?" Her eyes opened slightly, crusty with sleep. Kenta was in front of her, shaking her by the shoulder.

"Kyogo-sempai's awake," he told her. She nodded and went into the washroom to freshen up. A minute later she was sitting at her sempai's bedside. Kyogo looked a bit pale, and his wrists and wounded ankle were wrapped in bandages.

"How're you feeling?" she asked him.

"It doesn't hurt much, at least. The doctor was totally mystified about that, but I'm guessing it had to do with the Sailor Senshi..." He looked up at her face. "How about you, you look terrible."

"I didn't get much sleep last night," she admitted. "And...I feel kinda empty, like I let everything out and have nothing left inside." She smiled faintly. "I haven't cried that much in a long time..."

"I'm sorry, Makoto." He sighed regretfully. "I just keep hurting you, don't I?"

"Sempai..." she started to say.

"No, Makoto, don't make excuses for me. I let my emotions run out of control, and for all the wrong reasons, and got you all in danger. I don't know why the Senshi even bothered to save me..."

"Because you deserve a chance, sempai," Makoto said. "Everyone does." Behind her, Kenta nodded in agreement.

"Will you forgive me, then?" Kyogo asked.

Makoto nodded. "For everyhing," she said softly. "We'll always be friends."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"So what are you going to do once you get out of here?" Kenta asked him. He looked up thoughtfully at the ceiling.

"I guess...since I've been given a chance, I should make good use of it, right?" He smiled at Makoto and Kenta. "Don't worry about me. One day, I'll be able to use a sword again, and I'll beat you, Makoto, fair and square. Don't you dare run off before then!"

Makoto smiled and nodded. 'I'm so glad you're alright, sempai,' she thought. 'And I won't give up, either.' She stood up. "I've got to go meet my friends now. I'll be back to visit as often as I can!" she promised. Kenta followed her outside the room and closed the door.

"Be careful, alright?" he cautioned.

"Don't worry, Ken, I'll be fine," she replied. "And when I come back, we'll have a good, long talk..." She winked at him, then turned and headed for the elevator. She was only slightly surprised to see Minako waiting for her there;  
the blonde knew just how much this part of her past meant to her, after all.

"Will you be okay, Mako-chan?"

"Yep," Makoto replied simply. "Let's go."

* * *

"Are you still up for this, everyone?" Artemis asked. They were gathered in front of the Hikawa Shrine, as they had before going to face Beryl. Makoto and Minako had just arrived to join them, and one look at the brunette's face told everyone that she was back to her old self again. The girls nodded and raised their hands. 

"MERCURY POWER"  
"MARS POWER"  
"JUPITER POWER"  
"VENUS POWER"  
"MOON CRYSTAL POWER"  
"MAKE UP!"

Mamoru picked a rose out of subspace and spun around, summoning his disguise. The Sailor Senshi gathered around him and linked hands, forming a circle. Ryo and the guardians stood to the side, watching.

"Is everyone ready?" Luna asked.

The Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen all nodded, and the Senshi then concentrated on their individual planets.

"SAILOR TELEPORT!"

Beams of light rose from each of the girls into the sky. A sudden wind rose up around them, and the light brightened. Then they were all gone, leaving only a ring of blasted tiles behind.

"Good luck, guys..." Ryo said quietly, and he and the cats went back inside to wait.

To be continued...


	8. Ch8: Reaching into Darkness

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

AN: New chapter, and early, too. :) One more before it ends, and as I said before, I'll have it up before I leave. So, enjoy...

* * *

**Hearts of Darkness**

Part 8: Reaching into Darkness

by JG Chan

A biting gale howled across the barren arctic plains, obscuring the sun with flurries of snow, as several forms emerged amidst the chaotic elements. Tuxedo Kamen immediately flipped his cape over Sailor Moon, who was shivering from the intense cold. The other Senshi huddled together for warmth, and to keep the snow off of Mercury's computer.

"There's an enormous buildup of negative energy over there," she said, pointed towards a snow dune. They started walking in the indicated direction. Cresting the dune, they beheld a huge palace of glimmering crystal. The air around it was abnormally calm, like the eye of a hurricane. Jagged spires rose from the polished structure, and a faint purple glow emanated from within the crystal walls. The entire scene was one of eerie, ominous grandeur.

"How cliche..." Venus muttered.

"So, are we going to just blast in through the front doors?" Jupiter asked.

"I'm working on it," Mercury replied. Then, suddenly, she dove and pushed Venus to the ground, even as a bolt of red lightning streaked over them.

The Senshi and Tuxedo Kamen gathered in a circle facing outwards as the enemy began to appear. A number of chimeras and youmas rose up from the snow, growling and chittering. Another dozen or so forms appeared in various eccentric ways, surrounding them completely. The Senshi tensed warily when they noted the uniforms these figures were wearing.

"Looks like they're going all out," Tuxedo Kamen said.

"How flattering," Mars replied sarcastically.

"They must have sensed us when we teleported here," Mercury guessed.

"Can we break through to the palace?" Jupiter asked.

"There's too many of them!" Venus answered.

One chimera raised its muzzle and howled, and at once all hell broke loose. The chimeras charged, roaring and snarling, while the youmas moved into among them. Several of the lesser generals floated up to the sky, loosing a barrage of projectile attacks. Flames, lightning, roses, beams of light, and a small tiara flew all over the battlefield, while here and there creatures stopped, frozen in their tracks.

The first wave fell easily before the combined might of the six warriors, but the enemy was of a caliber they had never faced before. Even as the chimeras and youmas fell, the Dark Kingdom commanders fought on, and the Senshi slowly grew tired.

As the battle raged, patches of shadow swirled and converged high in the air, forming a portal. Selenite stepped out of it calmly onto thin air, watching as Sailor took out two Dark commanders with her Moon Rod. The respite was brief, though, and now Sailor Moon was even closer to exhaustion.

Three of the Dark warriors gathered together and charged, one behind the other. The leader bore the brunt of several attacks before he fell, and the second managed to tackle Mercury before being incinerated by a close range fire burst. The third warrior was now in close range, though, and the Senshi were forced apart as Tuxedo Kamen engaged him in melee.

The break-up of the Senshi's formation caused the tide to shift, as the Dark warriors began to isolate the Senshi and concentrate their attacks. Mercury was soon unconscious, followed by Jupiter who took out two more generals with her. A barrage of needles hit Tuxedo Kamen, and a few passed through his cape to imbed themselves in his chest. He grunted and sagged a bit, but kept on throwing roses.

Seeing her beloved hurt, Sailor Moon reflexively called out his name. Selenite seized the brief moment of distraction and swooped down like a hawk, grabbing Venus by the arm and pulling her into the air. He took the struggling Senshi beyond the battlefield and dropped her to the ground. She landed safely and glared at him.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, bracing herself for a fight as Selenite touched down. She carefully studied the man before her. He was handsome in a cold kind of way, with short black hair streaked by a single lock of silver in front. He wore the Dark Kingdom uniform and held no weapons, although she was sure he wasn't helpless. His eyes were black and cold; staring into them, Venus could almost feel the power he held, but there was something else as well. She briefly wondered about that before he spoke.

"I merely wished to duel with the leader of the Sailor Senshi," Selenite told her, sounding almost polite.

"Umm...yeah, I'm their leader! Let the others go, I'm the only one you want!"

Selenite smiled faintly. "We will see about that." He slashed the air with his hand, sending a wave of blackness flying forward. Venus rolled aside and countered with a Crescent Beam, but he disappeared before the attack hit. Warned by her well-honed instincts, she sprang forward even before she felt the presence behind her. She spun around and saw Selenite pulling his spear out of the snow where she had just been. The weapon was black and heavy-looking, with a six foot metal haft and a broad blade with two smaller spikes coming out the sides. Connecting the blade and haft was a large metal ring covered in strange markings.

"I'm impressed, Sailor Venus," he said grimly, pointing his weapon at her. "You truly are a worthy opponent, to be able to dodge that."

"True warriors don't stab others in the back," Venus taunted. "CRESCENT BEAM!"

Selenite casually deflected the beam with his spear. "Wrong, Venus," he retorted. "A true warrior will fight with all he has, and expect his opponent to do the same." He charged, leveling the sharp blade at her heart. She jumped over him and spun around in mid-air, extending her arm. "CRESCENT BEAM SHOWER!"

Selenite danced nimbly around the beams of light, using his spear to block those he couldn't dodge. Holding out his hand, he formed a bolt of shadow and hurled it at Venus like a javelin. Still recovering her balance from landing, she couldn't get completely out of the way, and the bolt detonated near her feet, throwing her backwards into a snow dune. Before she could get up, Selenite had his weapon at her throat. She froze, but glared at him defiantly all the same, refusing to show fear.

"Fine, finish me," she said through ground teeth.

"And you would die so willingly?" he asked, an odd note in his voice.

"Of course not!" she replied angrily. "Unlike you monsters, we value our lives and friendship. But I will **not** beg for my life from the likes of you!" Her gaze was unwavering as she met his cold, black eyes, and for an instant she felt something was out of place. Still, she couldn't help blinking when he withdrew his spear.

"I have respect for you, Sailor Venus," he said, sounding somehow sincere. "I had my doubts as to what you Senshi could really do, but I see that I was wrong."

Venus was stunned, but only for a moment. She started to get up, and her eyes briefly locked with Selenite's. Instantly, the force of his will poured into her and crushed all of her defenses, and she fainted. He picked her up, and glanced back at the crystal palace.

"But...there is still something that needs to be done," he said to himself, and disappeared into a portal.

* * *

Meanwhile, the fight continued on the hill overlooking the palace. Mars had finally gone down, and the enemy had been reduced to three warriors. Surprisingly, only Sailor Moon was relatively unscathed, although she was close to exhaustion.

Two of the Dark warriors charged Tuxedo Kamen, both wielding sabers. He dodged one of them and used his cane to block the other, then kneed him in the stomach. As the general doubled over, he thrust his cane at the first warrior, hitting him in the throat. The two stumbled back and were disintegrated by Sailor Moon.

Now only one enemy remained, and he seemed to be waiting. Sailor Moon was privately glad for the chance to rest. She tried desperately not to break down now; the sight of her friends lying there, not knowing whether they were alive, threatened to drown her with fear.

A brief instant of darkness passed, and Selenite stood before her. He waved his hand, and the fallen Senshi were enveloped in shadows and disappeared. Sailor Moon could only stare in shock.

"What did you do to them, you creep!?" she demanded.

"Do not worry, Sailor Moon. They are unharmed for the time being, as is Sailor Venus." He motioned for the lesser general to fall back, and the man obeyed silently. "Now, we shall finish this."

Tuxedo Kamen raised his cane and stepped in front of Sailor Moon, ignoring his injuries. "You'll have to get through me, first!" he challenged.

"Very well." Selenite raised both arms, and ribbons of darkness flew and twisted towards them, forming a shaft of pure shadow. "Since you wish it so, I **will** go **through** you. Your being there makes absolutely no difference."

Tuxedo Kamen watched intently as the dark energy continued to gather. He could feel the strength of it, and knew Selenite wasn't bluffing. He desperately focused his mind, trying to summon enough of his powers to withstand the assault. Finding a warm, golden glow within himself, he drew on the power of his and Usagi's love to protect them. A golden rose appeared in his hand.

"I will protect her!" he declared, raising his arm. "Twice already we have been separated, but I will never let that happen again. I will not let her die, and I will not die here! We will stay together, no matter what you throw at us!"

The rose began to shine with a light rivalling the pure darkness in Selenite's hands. As the black-eyed warrior released his attack, Tuxedo Kamen threw the rose in its path.

"SHINING ROSE BOMBER!"

The golden rose impacted with the black bolt, and the attacks nullified each other in a blast of pure power. Tuxedo Kamen raised his cape to shield Sailor Moon.

"You did it, Mamo-chan," Sailor Moon congratulated him quietly. "You got your powerup too."

He nodded, then they looked around for any sign of Selenite. Tuxedo Kamen saw him first and fell soundlessly to his mental onslaught.

"Tuxedo Kamen-sama!" Sailor Moon cried, kneeling next to him.

"He's only unconscious, Sailor Moon," Selenite said.

"Why are you toying with us like this?" she shouted, her eyes tearing up. "Why must you be so cruel?"

"Do I look like I take pleasure in this, Sailor Moon?" he asked impassively. She got up and summoned her Moon Rod, but he did nothing. She hesitated, wondering what was going on. Then, she too fell before the power of his will, and all three of them disappeared in waves of darkness.

* * *

The city of Tokyo was winding down, evening rush hour having passed. Ryo stared up at the sky, absently listening to Phobos and Deimos cawing to each other. He was sitting outside Rei's room while the cats were inside keeping busy. In other words, Luna was pacing around worriedly and Artemis was watching television. Ryo had laughed a bit when the white cat had reached up to tap the remote, to which Artemis had responded with a sour look.

'I have a bad feeling about this,' Ryo thought. 'I just know something must have gone wrong. Ami-chan...'

"Luna, Ryo-kun," Artemis called out then. "Come here, quickly!"

Ryo went inside and stared at the television screen. There was no mistaking what was there.

"A chimera? Now?"

"Doesn't bode well, does it?" Artemis said glumly. Luna stayed silent, but her expression was clearly distressed. Ryo understood. If the chimeras were attacking now, then either Adamantite didn't feel the Senshi were a threat, or they had already been defeated. Neither possibility was encouraging.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" a voice called from outside. Ryo and the guardians exchanged puzzled glances and went to check. They found a boy about Ryo's age with short brown hair standing in the courtyard.

"I'm sorry," Ryo said. "The caretakers of this temple aren't here at the moment. Perhaps you could come back some other day..."

"You're Urawa-kun, aren't you?" the boy cut in. "Mako-chan told me about you. My name's Shinozaki Kenta." He held out his hand, and Ryo took it, remembering the boy now.

"Yes, I'm Urawa Ryo, but how did you know I was here?"

"Mako-chan told me the Senshi would be leaving from here, so I though I might find some help."

"Help?"

Kenta opened his jacket to reveal his bokken. Ryo stared at it, then blinked as realization came to him. "You can't be serious..."

"Yes I can. I've passed a few places under attack on the way here, and there are a **lot** of those creatures. The Senshi are busy, and the police already has its hands full. We have to help them."

"But we're just normal people. What can **we** do?"

Kenta shook his head. "I'm not about to stand by and let people get hurt while Mako-chan's somewhere risking her life. Even if we can't destroy those monsters, at least we can help people get away." He smiled briefly. "Mako-chan promised to have a long talk with me when she comes back, and I plan to be around when she does. So how about it, are you with me?"

Ryo hesitated, then nodded uncertainly. Kenta grinned at him and led the way to the nearest chimera sighting, followed by the two cats. 'What the hell have I gotten myself into?' Ryo mused sourly as he ran along with them. Above, the sky was completely hidden by the clouds, casting an ominous gloom over the city of Tokyo.

* * *

Selenite entered the throne room, from the back as usual. The dark lord was watching the images in his crystal orb, smiling appreciatively.

"Good news, my Lord?" Selenite asked, stepping onto the dais.

"The people of Tokyo are so helpless without the Sailor Senshi," Adamantite gloated. "Their fear is almost palpable. At this rate, all the energy we've used against the Senshi will be regained in short order."

Selenite nodded. "What shall we do with the Senshi, then?"

"Leave them alone for the time being," Adamantite decided. "Once I have gathered enough power to invade the Earth, I'll invite them to watch. They should find the show very interesting."

"I suppose so..."

* * *

Darkness. Complete and utter darkness. That was the first thing Sailor Moon saw when she awoke. Then, as her eyes adjusted themselves, she could see the faint light coming from outside the the small slot in the door. She sat up and looked around her. She was in a small stone cell, like the ones found in old medieval prisons. There was a pile of straw against the wall and nothing else. The place smelled of stale, humid air. She could hear water dripping somewhere, and further off, the sound of wails.

Sailor Moon stood up, relieved that she didn't seem to be in any pain. She moved over to the door and tried to see outside her cell. All she could tell, though, was that it opened on a corridor, and that there were other cells at irregular intervals nearby. She turned around and slumped against the metal door.

'This is all my fault,' she thought. 'I should never have agreed to come here. We never even stood a chance!'

She recalled with crystal clarity the moment Selenite had overpowered her. It had almost felt like each of her nerves had been methodically and painlessly shut down, like someone pressing a row of switches. While Beryl might have achieved the same end, there was something unsettling in the way Selenite had done it. And now she was trapped her, and she didn't know where her friends were...or where Tuxedo Kamen was...

The wails grew clearer now, seeming to come from the floor below her. She shuddered at the sound. Agony and madness were evident in those wails, and she really didn't want to find out what had caused them.

A sudden beep snapped her back to reality. Her communicator! Of course! With some hope back in her heart, she pressed the respond button. Sailor Mercury's voice came through faintly.

"Guys? Is everyone alright?"

"Mercury!" Sailor Moon cried out with relief. "Oh gods, I'm so glad you're okay!"

"You didn't have to yell so loud, Sailor Moon," Mars complained.

"I'm a bit sore, but I'll live," Jupiter reported.

"I guess we're all here then," Venus said.

"Wait, what about Tuxedo Kamen?" Sailor Moon asked, worried again. "He doesn't have a communicator. Is he..."

"He's fine, Sailor Moon," Mercury reassured her. "His cell is across from mine. And he says his wounds are nothing to worry about."

"Oh, good," she breathed a sigh of relief. At least, that was one thing off her mind. "Listen guys, I'm really sorry for getting you in this mess..."

"Don't start on that, Odango-atama," Mars interrupted. "We all agreed to come, and it's not your fault."

"So, Mercury, have you found any way out of here?" Venus asked.

"Unfortunately, no. The walls and doors are reinforced with negative energy. Our attacks can't function in here, and I don't see anything we can use."

"And the bars are too thick to break," Jupiter added. "Not that we can fit through the slot, anyway."

Sailor Moon held her hand up to her tiara.

"MOON TIARA ACTION!"

Nothing. Her heart sank.

"It's no use, Sailor Moon," Venus said. "I think we've all tried that. We'll have to come up with something else."

Sailor Moon nodded, and closed the communicator. She found one of the walls and leaned against it. 'Think, girl,' she told herself. 'Think! There's got to be a way out. I won't let my friends down again!'

* * *

In another cell, Sailor Mars was thinking the same thing. She, however, had more resources at her disposal than Sailor Moon. Kneeling down and closing her eyes, she entered her meditative state and reached out with her spirit. Without the fire as a focus, it was much harder...but at the same time, her transformation gave her a noticeable energy boost. She pushed her awareness outwards, briefly registering the presence of her friends before continuing further. Taking a chance, her spirit started to seep through the floor as well, trying to determine the cause of the screams.

"Rei!? What the hell are you doing here!?" The spirit voice was familiar...and furious.

'Jadeite! We came to fight Adamantite, but we all got captured...'

"Are you insane? Keep your mind away from here! You'll go mad if you come in contact with the souls trapped in here."

Mars ignored that. 'Do you know how we could get out of here?'

He sighed. "Sorry, but no. Those cells are warded against most kinds of attack. I can't think of anything you guys can do that'll work."

'What about you? Where are you?'

"I'll be alright. Nobody knows about me, anyway. Just don't come looking for me, Rei."

Mars was about to reply, when she heard a faint sound. Returning to her body, she stifled a cry of surprise when she saw Tuxedo Kamen and Sailor Mercury standing outside her open cell door. "How did you get out?"

Tuxedo Kamen smiled, hefting his pair of Guardian stones. "I just got taught a new trick. I'll explain later, alright?"

Mars nodded, noting Mercury's slightly awed expression. The three of them moved down the corridor, and she watched as Tuxedo Kamen seemed to concentrate before each of the doors, followed a few seconds later by the click of the lock. Sailor Moon was the last one they reached, and she immediately embraced her beloved.

"So, how did you do it?" Mars prompted him. The others were also looking curiously at the masked hero, who held up his Guardian stones and explained how he had come to have them.

"Kunzite and Zoisite have been helping me remember my past," he told them, "and one of my...Endymion's abilities is psychic power. I've been doing some minor exercises to get them to work again, so when I heard Mercury talk about the doors being warded, they suggested I try them out."

"Telekinesis?" Mercury asked.

Tuxedo Kamen nodded. "Essentially. There isn't that much that I can do right now, but I guess we lucked out this time."

"Nice of you to let us know," Jupiter commented jokingly, before turning to Mercury. "So, where do we go now?"

"We're below the main structure of the palace," Mercury told them. "We'll need to find stairs that lead upwards. After that..."

"Is there anything below us?" Mars asked.

"Just more cells, I think. The concentration of dark energy is higher down there, too." She gave Mars a faintly questioning glance, as did Tuxedo Kamen. The Senshi of Fire nodded uncertainly.

"Guys...I guess I've been keeping secrets, too," she said apologetically. "Jadeite's the one who's been giving me information on the Dark Kingdom. He's imprisoned somewhere below us, and...I want to go free him, before we finish this."

She looked warily at the other Senshi as she spoke, wondering what their reactions will be. She was caught off guard, however, when Sailor Moon came up and hugged her without a word. Mars felt a wave of relief wash over her and visibly relaxed, murmuring a 'Thank you' in the blonde's ear. Jupiter and Venus, seeing their leader's tacit approval of the plan, simply smiled.

"So, does anyone else have former Dark Kingdom generals tucked up their sleeves?" Venus quipped. The others laughed, and Mercury began working on her computer again.

"Alright," she said after a moment, "I think I've got a lock on him, based on the data I have stored from our previous fights. He should be two levels below here."

"Let's go!" Sailor Moon said. Everyone nodded and filed after Mercury, filled with a sense of anticipation. The end of the battle was drawing near...

* * *

Naru looked around frantically, trying to keep the frightened crowd from trampling her. A moment ago, someone had yelled 'Monster!', and everyone had panicked. As she stood there in confusion, a large werewolf covered in armour plates approached her from behind, its feral eyes intent on its prey. It raised its paw, preparing to rend the helpless girl to pieces...and felt a sudden pain in the back of its knee.

Kenta delivered a few more blows to the howling chimera's back. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Ryo grab Naru's arm and run off with her. He quickly followed, leaving a furious werewolf snarling at nothing. He rounded a corner and met up with Ryo and Naru, all three slightly out of breath.

"Ryo-kun? What are you doing here?" Naru asked.

"Trying to help. I'm surprised we're still alive, frankly," he replied with a wry smile. "But it's getting dark, and we can't keep this up much longer."

Kenta nodded in agreement. He was the one doing the bulk of the work, and he was getting really tired. The police had managed to kill a few of the chimeras, but more kept on coming, and they just couldn't keep up. 'Please hurry up, Mako-chan,' he prayed. Then they heard Luna call for them from down the street, and the boys started moving again. Naru stared wide-eyed at the talking cat, then cautiously followed them.

* * *

"They're coming for you," the voice said calmly.

'I know that!' Jadeite snapped. 'Why can't that girl just listen to me!? They're putting themselves in too much danger!'

"Then you should help them."

'How?' Jadeite asked quickly. The ensuing silence was amused, almost mocking, as he suddenly remembered the answer himself. 'Oh, yeah...'

"I think you're getting old, Jadeite," the voice observed.

'Maybe, but you're still older,' he muttered back. Then, he focused his will about him and drew in as much arcane energy as he could. Carefully, he constructed a magical barrier leading away from his prison, pushing the wailing spirits away.

The shadows around him began to writhe even more. The screams grew more shrill, and several of the more powerful wraiths launched their own attacks. None of these, however, could penetrate Jadeite's forcefield. The lost souls wailed in frustration as they were forced away, and a path appeared before the crystal tomb, free of darkness.

"Well done, old friend," the voice said.

'Nothing special,' Jadeite replied nonchalantly. 'She'd better hurry, though. I can't hold this thing forever...'

* * *

On the floor above, Sailor Mars suddenly yelled out. "Wait!"

The Senshi stopped, Sailor Moon bumping into Tuxedo Kamen and falling on her rear end.

"I can feel him," Mars said as she concentrated. "Follow me!" She moved up ahead of Mercury and took the lead, finding the flight of rough stairs quickly. They went down, then turned into a long corridor. The walls here were mostly unworked stone, and the ground was uneven.

"There doesn't seem to be any dark energy here," Mercury said, frowning.

"He's blocking it off," Mars replied, still running. Her spirit sense revealed the shadows flitting about, but the shield kept them from affecting her. At the end of the tunnel, she could see a faint glow. Her heartbeat sped up in anticipation.

They reached the end of the path and saw the large block of crystal chained to the wall. A blurred silhouette was visible, outlined by the glow of the crystal. Sailor Moon stepped forward, summoning the Moon Rod.

"MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

The wave of positive energy filled the crystal. As the Senshi watched, it began to break, and finally shattered with a resounding CRACK!

Sailor Mars took a deep breath and walked forward. As the crystal dust settled, she could make out Jadeite's form, standing at the center of the rubble. He seemed to be waiting for her, his gaze fixed upon hers in a mixture of gladness and uncertainty. Much like her own, in fact.

"Rei..." he breathed softly, holding out his hand. She took it in her own, but almost pulled back when he knelt down and touched his lips to its gloved back.

"I'm...glad that you came for me, Rei," he said sincerely. "I know I must have caused you a lot of headaches since this began again...but whatever happens from now on, I'm happy that I could meet you again."

Mars held his gaze for a moment before nodding, a small smile gracing her lips. Jadeite smiled back and rose, and the two returned to the waiting Senshi.

"Hey Jadeite," Sailor Moon greeted him, glancing back and forth between him and Sailor Mars with a gleam in her eyes. Mars scowled at her in warning, and she stuck her tongue out jokingly in response.

"Thank you for freeing me, Sailor Moon," Jadeite said. Then, turning to Tuxedo Kamen, he went down on one knee. "My Prince, I join my brethren in pledging my loyalty to you once more."

"Welcome back, Jadeite," Tuxedo Kamen replied. "But let's save the reunions for later."

The blond general nodded. "I assume you'll want to find Adamantite next?" The Senshi nodded. "Alright, I'll take you up to the throne room then. I'll explain some of what's been going on here on the way up..."

* * *

"I don't believe this!" Adamantite exclaimed, slamming his fist on the arm of his throne. The crystal orb before him showed a boy fending off one of his chimeras with a wooden sword, while another led the frightened bystanders away.

"It seems the humans are more resourceful than you thought, my Lord," Selenite noted quietly. Adamantite calmed down with some difficulty.

"No matter," he said, his voice cooling. "They are simply a minor nuisance. Our attack hasn't been compromised."

"That's what you think, Adamantite!"

The doors to the throne hall flew off their hinges, landing with a dull thud and still smoking. Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter came in, followed by rest of the Senshi, Tuxedo Kamen, and Jadeite.

"I see you have escaped," Adamantite said calmly. "I suppose that's to be expected of those who destroyed Beryl." His gaze fell upon the former general. "Jadeite? Have you betrayed me as well?"

"I was never loyal to you to begin with," Jadeite growled. He materialized a crystal sword in his right hand. "And now, we'll send you off to see Beryl!"

Adamantite smiled inside his helmet and put his armoured hand on the orb next to him. Black flames danced around his body and rippled outwards, washing over the Sailor Senshi and their allies.

"What was that?" Venus asked.

"I can't move!" Jupiter cried in alarm. The others tried to move as well, but they were all paralyzed by some unseen force.

"That," Adamantite said, "is a token of my power. I was going to let you watch me conquer the Earth, but you've shown yourselves much too troublesome. Selenite, kill them. Slowly."

Selenite nodded and walked towards the Senshi, his heavy spear appearing in his hand. He stopped in front of Sailor Moon, his weapon hovering inches from her chest. "Shall I kill you first," he asked, "or shall I let you see them die?"

"Don't you dare touch her!" Tuxedo Kamen shouted. Sailor Moon didn't say anything, but was instead staring intently at Selenite, like she was trying to figure something out.

"Stop this Selenite," Venus said suddenly. "You aren't going to hurt us."

"What are you talking about?" Mars asked incredulously.

"You're hiding something, Selenite," Venus continued. "You're different from those other generals. Whatever your reasons for helping Adamantite, it isn't because you're evil."

"And you would bet your life on a baseless hunch?" Selenite asked, his voice taking on a strange tone, almost as if he were looking for a specific answer.

"No," Venus replied quietly, so that Adamantite couldn't hear. "I knew it when I looked into your eyes. I can't explain it, but I trust my feelings. You aren't evil."

Selenite regarded her silently for a moment, then turned to Sailor Moon, who still looked puzzled about something. His eyes held hers for a long while, as if they were speaking silently to her, and suddenly she gasped.

"It's you..."

As the others looked on in confusion, Selenite smiled faintly, a smile that, while muted, held none of its usual coldness. Spinning around, he flung his weapon at Adamantite. The whirling blade struck the crystal orb, and with a loud explosion, all the energy held within it was released. Screams and roars were heard as youmas and chimeras still in the palace disappeared, deprived of the energy that sustained them. The Senshi felt the hold on them disappearing as well.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" Adamantite roared, fuming. The flames in his eyes flared up brightly.

"You didn't think you were actually in control of me, did you?" Selenite asked impassively. The dark lord glared at him, then ran off into the shadows behind the ruined throne.

"Jadeite, take the Senshi after him," Selenite said. "Try to catch him before he can start laying traps. I need some time to speak with Sailor Moon."

"Anything you say," Jadeite answered. The others, except for Venus, looked at Selenite suspiciously. "Don't worry, we can trust him. He's the one who's been helping me all along."

The Senshi glanced at the blond general in surprise, then at Sailor Moon, who nodded to them in reassurance. It seemed to work, and the Senshi followed Jadeite towards the back of the room. Tuxedo Kamen stayed behind with Sailor Moon and Selenite.

"Well?" Sailor Moon asked expectantly. Tuxedo Kamen was slightly taken aback by the lack of wariness in her tone.

"I'd like to ask a favour of you." Selenite reached inside his uniform and took out a small silver bracelet. It was exquisitely made, and studded with various gems. "I need you to destroy this."

Sailor Moon looked up from the bracelet in surprise. "But why?"

"This...is the first Heart of Darkness ever created," Selenite explained somberly, "and the most powerful one as well. I was still young then, and fell into its trap. Because of that, I've done some dreadful things. I've broken its hold once, but it's still active...and my powers cannot destroy it. Only the Illusion Silver Crystal can truly do that."

"So that's why..." Sailor Moon said. Then she nodded. "I'll do it."

"Are you sure, Sailor Moon?" Tuxedo Kamen asked. "Using the Silver Crystal is dangerous."

"I'm sure, my love," she replied. "You'll see..." She opened her brooch and detached the Silver Crystal from it. Her sailor suit flowed into her Moon Princess gown as she raised the Crystal over her head, flooding the throne hall with its pure radiance.

The crescent moon on Serenity's forehead shone brightly, and the Crystal responded immediately. A beam of white light shot out from it to hit the bracelet. There was an inhuman howl, as swirling darkness wrapped around it, trying to block off the light.

Serenity concentrated harder, trying to call forth even more power without losing control. Seeing his princess struggling, Tuxedo Kamen transformed into Prince Endymion and put his hands on her shoulders, giving her his strength through their soul bond.

Selenite seemed to have a similar idea. He closed his eyes, and his uniform disappeared, to be replaced by loose-fitting black clothes and sturdy leather boots. Silver greaves and cuffs encircled his limbs, and a shirt of scale mail appeared over his torso, tied at the waist by a wide leather belt. A silver crescent moon appeared on his forehead.

Serenity smiled and Endymion stared wide-eyed as the transformation took place. Athan raised his free hand, and the shadows surrounding the bracelet streamed towards it, leaving the item defenseless. The shrieking grew in pitch and volume, echoing eerily off the walls.

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!" Serenity shouted. The power of the Illusion Silver Crystal surged through the beam in a great torrent, smashing the unguarded bracelet. The malevolent spirit of the Heart of Darkness let out a final, agonized scream as it faded into nothingness. Then, silence fell upon the room once more.

Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion powered back down into Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen. Sailor Moon was panting and leaning on her beloved, but she was still smiling. Prince Athan took a step forward, and she moved into his arms, crying tears of joy.

"Welcome back, brother," she whispered.

"Thank you, little sister."

To be concluded...


	9. Ch9: End of the Beginning

Standard disclaimers apply. Most of these characters were created by Naoko Takeuchi, and rightfully belong to her. I'm only borrowing them for a while. New characters, and this story, belong to me. Ask before you use them. :)

* * *

**Hearts of Darkness**

Part 9: End of the Beginning

by JG Chan

"How much further is it?" Mars asked. The four Senshi and Jadeite were still running along the dark hallways of the crystal palace. A section of the ceiling cracked and fell towards them, but Venus casually blasted it to dust.

"Not too far," Jadeite replied. "I'm pretty sure Adamantite's heading for his private quarters. It's a dead end, but I have no idea what he keeps in there."

They ran on for another minute or so, when suddenly Mercury leapt forward and tackled Mars to the ground. A bolt of lightning passed over their heads as Adamantite's last remaining general appeared before them.

"So, wanna play with thunder, don't you?" Jupiter said. "SUPREME THUNDER!"

The enemy commander countered with his own attack as bolts of lightning arced across the hallway like a web from Jupiter's tiara. The two attacks collided and disappeared, and the dark warrior charged, only to find that Jupiter wasn't there anymore. He looked up just in time to receive Jupiter's boot in the face, and flew back several feet, cursing. Before he could get up again, Jupiter took him out with a Thunder Dragon, and the group moved on.

Soon after they reached a pair of large open doors. Adamantite stood waiting for them, hefting an enormous axe of black metal. His eyes burned angrily as he saw the Senshi.

"Cripes, that thing's huge!" Venus exclaimed, eyeing the greataxe.

"Give up, Adamantite!" Mars shouted. "This ends right here."

The dark lord snarled at her and raised his arm. A ball of dark energy impacted against Jadeite's hastily raised energy shield, forcing him back a few steps.

"SUPREME THUNDER"  
"SHABON SPRAY!"

A stream of electrified bubbles splashed onto Adamantite from his left, staggering him but unable to pierce his armour. He retaliated with a heavy swing of his axe, which both Senshi nimbly avoided. The dark lord turned, ducked under a Crescent Beam, and charged Sailor Mars. She raised her arms in defense, but he simply grabbed them and slammed her into the wall. She groaned in pain as negative energy flowed into her, even as Adamantite's other hand raised the axe.

"Rei!" Jadeite yelled. He unleashed a blast of pure magical energy that struck Adamantite's hand, knocking the axe away. The dark lord countered by throwing Sailor Mars at him. As the blond general caught the Senshi of Fire, Adamantite moved to attack, but was interrupted when Jupiter kicked him in small of the back, where his armour didn't quite cover. He grunted and whirled to return the attack when thick mist suddenly surrounded him.

"CRESCENT BEAM SHOWER"  
"FIRE SOUL BIRD!"

The twin attacks struck him from two directions, the heat warping the black armour. With a furious roar, he flung energy out in all directions, grimly satisfied at hearing several groans of pain.

"Fools!" he shouted in a hollow voice. "Did you think you could defeat me so easily? My plan might be ruined, but you will all die here! I am invincible!"

"I suppose so..." Athan agreed impassively from behind him.

Adamantite looked down in shock at the spear blade sticking out of his stomach...and then he broke apart, the flames within him dying out. The mist faded, and the Senshi stared disbelievingly as pieces of black armour fell to the ground, as did Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen who had just reached the room.

"What the...?" Jupiter began.

"This was a decoy," Athan explained. "Adamantite is known as the Armour Fiend in the Dark Kingdom; he can animate his armour to fight in his stead."

"Did he escape, then?" Sailor Moon asked, her heart sinking.

"No," Athan replied. "He's a clever general, but he's also very proud and vindictive. We've ruined a plan he's been hatching since before Beryl fell, and he'll want to get revenge. He should be gathering what remains of the Dark Kingdom's energy in order to strike back at us." He paused. "I can take you to him, if you're ready."

Sailor Moon looked at each of her friends in turn. There was a sense of finality at that moment, and it brought with a kind of peace. She found that she was not at all afraid, and looking at her friends and Tuxedo Kamen, she saw that they shared that feeling.

"So this is it, huh?" Mars said quietly.

"If Adamantite faces us with all he has, then this battle will determine the fate of the Dark Kingdom," Mercury noted. "All or nothing..."

"Well, it's about time," Jupiter declared with a confident grin.

"And this time, we're all together," Venus finished.

"Looks like we're ready, Sailor Moon," Tuxedo Kamen said with a smile. "Let's finish what we came here to do."

Sailor Moon nodded. "Yes," she said decisively. "It's time we finished this."

Seeing their resolve, Athan smiled faintly and raised his arm. In a swirl of shadows, the Senshi and their allies disappeared from the room.

* * *

A brief moment of darkness passed, and the Senshi found themselves atop the central spire of the crystal palace. Adamantite stood at the far side of the room before a large crystal glowing with purple energy. Without his outer armour, he stood as a tall, featureless black humanoid wreathed in flames. A lighter suit of armour still protected him, and the power emanating from him was palpable. 

"So you've come, Sailor Senshi," he rumbled, his voice filled with the crackling of fire. "Fine. I shall leave you nothing but scattered ashes!"

"Your evil schemes end here, Adamantite!" Sailor Moon said. "We won't allow you to hurt those we love anymore. Neither you nor the Dark Kingdom will ever threaten Earth again!" She walked in to stand in front of him, her Moon Rod held ready. Tuxedo Kamen and the other Senshi fanned out on either side of her. 'This is it,' she thought. 'It'll finally be over.'

Adamantite roared and flung several bolts of flame at the gathered Senshi. Athan and Jadeite immediately moved to the front, blocking the attack with their shields of shadow and force. Meanwhile, the Senshi prepared their assault.

"SHABON SPRAY FREEZING"  
"FIRE SOUL BIRD"  
"SUPREME THUNDER DRAGON"  
"CRESCENT BEAM SHOWER!"

The four attacks combined into a mass of swirling rainbow energy in front of them. Seeing that, Adamantite broke off his barrage and began gathering power for a single, massive strike.

"SHINING ROSE BOMBER!"

The golden rose entered the blazing energy, forming it into a perfect sphere. Athan and Jadeite took that as their cue to move out of the way, clearing the path for the final clash.

"For love and justice, your reign of terror ends here, Adamantite. MOON PRINCESS HALATION!"

Sailor Moon's attack slammed into the sphere and combined with it, sending the whole flying towards Adamantite. The dark lord unleashed his own attack,  
the purple blast slamming into the iridescent sphere. But his fury was no match for the united hearts of the Senshi, and the blast disintegrated, allowing the shifting rainbow energy to envelop him.

"NOOOOOOOO!!" The dark lord's voice rose in a scream as the power of love consumed his body and black soul. The fire in his eyes flared for a moment before going out, and he disappeared.

"We...we won!" Sailor Moon shouted triumphantly. She ran into Tuxedo Kamen's arms. "We did it, Mamo-chan!"

The others looked on, smiling. Sailor Mars unconsciously moved closer to Jadeite, and Sailor Venus glanced curiously in Athan's direction. The mood was suddenly broken, however, when the walls and ceiling started to shake with a low rumbling sound.

"We've got to get out of here!" Mercury said urgently. "Without Adamantite's power, this palace will crumble!"

"Why does this always happen?" Sailor Moon asked no one in particular.

Athan raised his fist, and shadows surrounded everyone once more. They reappeared on the hill outside the palace, watching as it caved in on itself and collapsed into a heap of shiny debris. The storms outside had stopped, leaving the area as calm as the rest of the Arctic.

"I guess this is the end of the Dark Kingdom, huh?" Mars said.

"Yes..." Athan agreed quietly, his dark eyes distant.

The newly revealed sun was shining over the now silent plain. Tuxedo Kamen had wrapped his arms around Sailor Moon at some point, and now she pulled them closer together. The feeling of peace that washed over her at that moment was one of the greatest things she had ever felt. 'Yes...it is over now,' she thought. 'I...all of us can just be normal people again.' And with that thought in her mind, she led the others away from the site of their latest triumph, ready to return home.

* * *

FRIDAY 

"Waaah, everyone's lunches look **soooo** delicious..." Usagi gushed. The others sweatdropped, waiting for her to bring out the puppy-dog eyes, especially seeing as her own lunch didn't turn out too well. "...especially yours, Mamo-chan," she continued. "Why didn't you tell me you were so good at making sandwiches?"

"And have you eat me out of my apartment?" he replied fondly. "Besides, they're nothing special. I just don't have time some days to make anything else."

Usagi beamed at him as she took a bite out of the sandwich...then turned to her friends and gave them a smug little smile. It's nice to catch them off guard sometimes.

The group was sitting under one of the sakura trees at the park, having been let out of school early for hanami. The blossoms were indeed very beautiful, but to Usagi, that came second to having fun with her friends.

She snuggled closer to Mamoru's shoulder and looked around. Umino was still trapped in his sleeping bag behind Naru; Ami was talking to Minako with Ryo sitting beside her, neither noticing that their hands were touching; Kenta was blissfully gorging himself on one of Makoto's lunches; and Rei was pointedly not talking to Jadeite, who sat slightly apart from them. Usagi's eyes slid past the group and caught another figure, sitting alone under a different tree, and her expression sombered a little.

"Go on, Usako," Mamoru said, seeming to have read her mind. She nodded and gave him a quick smile before rising from her spot.

The target of her thoughts was sitting with his back against the tree, eyes closed. He was wearing jeans and a plain white shirt, looking for all the world like any ordinary man in his twenties, despite the lock of silver hair above his right eye.

"Hey, onii-chan," Usagi greeted him as she approached.

"Hey, Usagi," he replied quietly, opening his eyes. The black orbs were peaceful, but somehow the blonde could feel the guardedness behind them, as if he could never truly relax. It struck her then how right Luna had been when she said that they were opposites, and she wondered what had made him this way.

"You sure you don't wanna join us?" she asked lightly, sitting down next to him. "We have lots of yummy food, if you haven't brought your own."

"No, I'm alright," he answered with a faint smile. His gaze turned upwards toward the drifting pink petals. "It's been a long time since I've seen something like this."

"It's really pretty, isn't it? But it's kinda sad, too. They only get to blossom for a little while before they fall..."

"But that's part of their beauty, isn't it?" Athan replied wistfully.

"I guess you could look at it that way..." Usagi watched the sakura for a bit longer, then turned to Athan. "Onii-chan, are you sure you're okay with this?"

"...You mean about Luna?"

Usagi nodded. "I don't know what's wrong with her. I mean, I've never seen her react to **anything** like that. Even after you sealed your powers, she's been telling me over and over not to trust you or talk to you, and..."

Athan shook his head. "Usagi," he said gently, "I'll be fine. To be honest, Luna's reaction was entirely natural. I did something horrible back in the Silver Millenium, and I don't expect her to forgive me anytime soon. Still, it's better that I come right out and face her than sneak around behind her back." He paused. "It might be easier if you just did as she told you, though."

Usagi shook her head vehemently. "You know I won't do that!"

The dark-haired man shrugged. "I suppose not."

"...so, what did you do?" she asked carefully.

"I think Luna should be the one to tell you that, whenever she's ready. Just please, don't worry yourself over me, alright?" He gave her a muted but clearly affectionate smile. "I can live with things as they are now, but I'd feel much better if you were happy, little sister."

Usagi considered that for a bit, as Athan leaned back and went back to watching the trees. His contemplation was cut short a moment later when she suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled. Caught off guard, he failed to put up any resistance and allowed the much smaller girl to pull him to his feet.

"Usagi, what...?"

She smiled brightly at him. "You said you wanted me happy, didn't you? Well, you'll have to work for it. Come on, come on!" And with that, she dragged the bemused man over to her friends, filled with a deep certainty that whatever was wrong, they would fix in time. Right now, it was time to be a normal fourteen-year-old girl, and have fun and enjoy the day out with her friends.

THE END

* * *

End Notes: One series down, more to go. :) So, what do you think? I'm not quite sure what to say here, but anyway, I hope that you've all enjoyed this series in some way. As the chapter title might suggest, this is only the beginning. I'm off on vacation until the end of February, and by then, I should have the next series on its way. Thank you to all of you who've read this, and I hope to see lots of reviews when I come back. :D So, until then, all the best to you. 

JG


End file.
